Tom Yum's more sour sister.
Sour Herbal Chicken Soup (Dtom Saap Gai)
Chef Jarrett Wrisley
6-8
Thai
Soups
Dtom Saap is Tom Yum’s northeastern cousin, relying on many of the same aromatics (galangal, lemongrass, shallots) but it’s simpler and more rustic.
Ingredients
For the Stock
- 5 pounds of chicken legs or thighs on the bone, split with a cleaver
- 5 liters of water, or 5.25 qts
- 4 lemongrass stalks, cleaned (ends go in stock, stalks go in soup)
- 50g galangal
- 30g ginger
- 4 shallots
- 1 head garlic
- 10 makrut lime leaves
To Finish
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp dried chili powder
- Freshly chopped green onion and cilantro
- Juice of 3-4 limes, to taste
- Fish sauce, to taste
Directions
- First, cut your chicken across the bone with a cleaver to expose the marrow. If you’re feeling iffy about hacking away with a cleaver, you can hold the sharp side over the bone and tap the blunt side with a mallet.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the smashed lemongrass, sliced galangal, torn lime leaves, shallots, and garlic. Let them boil for about 2 minutes to infuse the water.
- Bring another, separate pot of water to a boil and boil the chicken, skimming the top. After 5 minutes, strain, wash under cold water, and add to the first pot with the aromatics.
- Simmer chicken and aromatics for ~1 hour. Strain stock, discarding the herbs. Pour stock back into the pot, add the chicken back in.
- Bring stock to a boil one last time. Add 25g fresh galangal and the 4 sliced lemongrass stalks and tomatoes and boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add chili powder, fish sauce, and lime juice.
- Serve hot, garnishing with green onions and cilantro.