"tom ka" news and stories

After a day spent roaming the byways through farm country I had picked up some nice produce and poultry: fresh, tender, sweet, carrots; young yellow summer squash and green zucchini; and a package of fresh from the farm, pasture raised chicken thighs. I had just made a quick trip to the big city a few days ago to stock up on Asian ingredients, so I had new bottles and tubs of various things like cream of coconut, fish sauce, Thai green curry paste and Tom Ka soup paste; and small, vividly orange colored dried shrimp, as well as some nice, hot Thai peppers, Key limes, and a big, fat, young, galangal root.

I was thinking of making a Thai-style curry but it has been just too hot out and I wanted something spicy, but light, packed full of electrolytes, and full of liquid to rehydrate me. A summery vegetable and chicken version of Thai Tom Ka soup sounded perfect. This style of soup has a mild to medium heat, a strong citrusy tartness and tang to it, and can be made quite quickly. Just the thing for a warm summer day.

I woke up today with a craving for a Thai style soup. It's already becoming a hot summer day and I wanted something light, spicy, and super tasty for a late lunch. After looking through my fridge I started pulling out the surplus items crowding the interior.

I had picked up a ton of treats over the last few days from farm markets, local fishermen, and the superb supermarket near me. A small Italian eggplant; a medium zucchini; young Bok Choy; fresh early summer radishes in shades of white, pink, and red; some long, thin, baby carrots; super tart Key limes; and a meaty, white, firm, chunk of haddock.

In the furthest reaches of the back of the fridge lay tubs of assorted Thai curries. I pulled out the Green Curry paste and Tom Ka soup paste. The Tom Ka paste is very basic; a tangy collection of salt, galangal, lemongrass, soybean oil, sugar, and spices. The Green Curry is fragrant and fiery with green chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, salt, spices, and galangal.

What else did I need? Of, right... coconut milk from the top closet and soy sauce from the bottom. Finally I gingerly stretched into the back of my cupboard for an often neglected bottle of potent fish sauce.