More recently, Thai tom yum soup has been included in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage. This spicy and warming soup needs no special introduction for Russians, as it is among the most popular Asian treats in our country. With the help of haute cuisine masters from different regions, Izvestia looked into the secret of the success of this overseas dish among our compatriots, as well as the peculiarities of its preparation.
Franky Woo (Krasnoyarsk)
Traditional Thai spicy tom yum soup became known in Russia in the late 1990s, which is largely due to the growing tourist flow to Southeast Asia. At first the dish appeared in restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and having established itself in both capitals, it gradually spread to other regions.
- The popularity of tom yam is connected with the globalization of gastronomic traditions, as well as the growing interest in exotic cuisine in general, - said "Izvestia" brand-chef of Franky Woo restaurant Peter Khrushchev. - In addition, Thai cuisine has become more accessible in recent years thanks to improved product logistics.
Tom yum at Franky Woo's
According to our interlocutor, tom yum has a bright rich flavor and characteristic spiciness, and many people like it. It is prepared on the basis of fresh seafood and vegetables, so it is perceived as a healthier alternative to some traditional dishes, which is in line with modern trends in healthy eating. The aesthetic factor also plays a role - thanks to its spectacular bright color, the soup always gathers likes on social networks.
- We add bell peppers to our tom yum, which emphasizes the spiciness and gives an interesting note," our expert shares his innovation. - In winter it is especially good, it warms and invigorates, and in the New Year holidays it quickly puts you back on your feet after noisy parties. In general, it is an ideal soup for Russian winter, although it was invented in a completely different climate.
Good Karma Bar (Yaroslavl)
Tom-yum is quite a universal dish, and its flavor palette, despite its spiciness, is understandable and pleasant to many people. Besides, this treat is easily adaptable to various experiments, and its flavor is always easy to guess, says Maxim Vinogradov, chef of Good Karma bar and Izakaya Ryu Maxim Vinogradov.
- Tom yum is prepared on the basis of root vegetables - ginger and galangal, which are related to our turnips," he adds. - This makes the flavor of the soup closer and more understandable to Russian guests, and that is why tom yum is perceived as more "own" than many other Asian dishes
Tom yum at Good Karma bar
Recipes for tom yam in Thailand can vary depending on the region, our interlocutor said. The name of the dish changes depending on which main ingredient is used: tom yam kung is with shrimp, tom yam lao is with chicken. If you change one element, it can affect the name of the dish, although the general principle remains the same. There is also tom kha, which is a derivative of tom yam, but with other spices and not necessarily with chicken. As for Russia, regional differences in tom yum recipes are less noticeable, except when more seafood is added to the soup if it is more readily available. In the central part of the country, tom yum is more often prepared with chicken.
- We make a twist on classic tom yum, a kind of fusion that has elements of another popular soup, ramen," says Chef Vinogradov. - Instead of traditional rice, we use ramen noodles and add marinated egg ajitama. The dish also includes chickpeas, which give freshness and crispness. This approach allows us to offer our guests a new look at a familiar dish, adding unexpected accents, but at the same time keeping the very richness and multi-layered flavors that make tom yum so beloved.
Black Thai (Moscow)
Two versions of tom yam are most common in Russia: on coconut milk and on clear broth. In the canonical version, it is necessarily based on fish sauce paste, as well as coconut milk and spices: lemongrass, galangal root, chili, garlic, kaffir lime and tamarind. The soup is traditionally served with a raft of steamed rice.
- Even 12-13 years ago the main spices at our disposal were salt, black pepper and hopli-suneli," recalls Artem Martirosov, chef of the restaurant of modern Thai cuisine Black Thai. - And Thailand opened up a rich variety of new bright flavors in spices, which the guests immediately loved.
Classic tom yum at Black Thai restaurant
In the menu of our interlocutor's restaurant both aforementioned variations of tom yam are presented. The base for these versions of the soup is cooked in different ways. In the author's version on coconut milk, a sweeter red onion is used. Palm sugar is also added, giving an interesting touch of sweetness. An obligatory component is the natural broth on roasted chicken, which is boiled for a long time, and then along with roasted vegetables is mixed with coconut milk in a 1/1 ratio. This base is infused for at least six hours, and just before serving, fresh galangal, crispy tsao-gu mushrooms and lots of lime are added.
- If we talk about our clear tom yum, it has twice as much galangal and lemongrass and a lot of onions," our interviewee continues. - We dilute these ingredients with regular chicken broth and a lot of fish sauce. Then we get a tart, bright base, in which we always use tomatoes.
Since the cooked bases for tom yam ferment quite quickly, they need to be re-boiled every day. Also, both tom yams are kept moderately spicy, and chicken meat and large shrimp are used as fillers.
"Laffa" (Vladivostok)
There is no single recipe of tom yam, even in Thailand each cook prepares it in his own way. It is important to understand that it is first of all a hearty soup, so in addition to broth it may contain not only chicken, fish and seafood, but even meatballs. All these interpretations are in keeping with the spirit of the dish.
- Author's variants of tom-yam appeared in many Vladivostok's establishments already in 2005, - recalls Maxim Mozharovsky, the head of Laffa restaurant. - We are located in the Asia-Pacific region, and the flavor of this soup is very close and understandable to locals. And with the popularization of local cuisine of the regions, Vladivostok chefs started to call tom yum - "Vlad-yum".
At our interlocutor's restaurant, broth for tom-yam is cooked on bones of red fish breeds (that gives it stable flavor) with addition of blue-crusted halibut bones that give texture and fatness to the base. Next, the key ingredients - ginger, onions, lemongrass, lime juice, lemon juice, lemon juice, garlic, lime leaf, and chili pepper - are roasted and simmered. These are combined with broth and tom yum paste and complemented with local seafood.
Fishdealers (Kaliningrad)
Among other Asian dishes, only sushi can be compared to tom yam in popularity, if, of course, they are correctly compared. An important role in this is played by coconut milk, which gives the soup fatness and creaminess, with which Russian consumers associate tasty and understandable food. The very name of the soup has become a certain guarantee of a high-quality and appetizing treat, which can be satiated both in cold weather and in the heat.
Pavel Borisenko, brand-chef of Fishdealers fish bistro (Seasons group), gave us an interesting example from his practice. Six years ago, when launching the project "Salt", he introduced a soup in the menu, cooked in the style of tom yam, but with a slight adjustment to the tastes of Kaliningraders (slightly fatter, less spicy, with fewer spices), and called it "seafood bisque". This name was incomprehensible to the guests, and the dish was not in demand. But it was worth renaming it tom yum, while fully preserving the recipe and serving, and the soup quickly became a top seller.
Tom-yum at Fishdealers
- There can be no radical peculiarities in the tom yam recipe in Kaliningrad, because we still need a certain standard or canon," admits our interlocutor. - The base already includes shrimp, mushrooms and a set of certain spices. But to all these obligatory ingredients, depending on the season, we add Baltic cod or flounder and make tom yum with white fish, which makes the dish even more delicious.
You can listen to Pavel Borisenko's detailed story about modern Baltic cuisine in Izvestia's podcast "Conversation with Taste".
"Raki i gady" (Rostov-on-Don)
Gastronomic projects in Rostov-on-Don began to serve tom yum in establishments about eight years ago, when the city's residents began to take an active interest in Asian cuisine.
- Caucasian cuisine is traditionally popular in the south, which is characterized by an abundance of various spices and herbs, such as garlic, basil, coriander, parsley, tarragon, ajika, khmeli-suneli, etc.," Vadim Kuznetsov, brand-chef of the Raki i gady restaurant, explained to our publication. - Accustomed to a lot of seasonings since childhood, we appreciated the new, bright, rich flavors that the Asian tradition in cooking so easily gives us.
Our interlocutor refused for a long time to introduce this popular dish in the menu of his restaurant, preferring to create new treats, emphasizing crayfish and seafood, according to the concept of the project. However, three years ago his tom yum appeared here too, and now this dish is among the most popular along with authentic crawfish neck cream-soup.
- We stick to the classic recipe and prepare our own version of Thai soup based on chicken broth, tom yum pepper paste, Asian fish sauce, lemongrass and coconut milk," our expert continues. - We add fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, lime, cilantro, hot chili peppers and a lot of premium seafood - shrimp, squid and mussels - to the finished broth, which distinguishes us from other establishments.
According to Brand Chef Kuznetsov's observations, with the emergence of stores specializing in Asian products, people have become much more likely to experiment with Asian dishes in their home kitchens. He believes that the next generation of city dwellers will consume tom yum at home on a par with their favorite borscht.
Ribs (Nizhny Novgorod)
Another important aspect that has allowed tom yam to become one of the most popular soups in Russia is its lightness. Thanks to the lean broth and fish sauce, this soup is much quicker to digest than many traditional first courses we are used to.
- In Russia we like thick soups, such as borscht or solyanka, and tom yum suits us, because it is also rich," says Ilya Travkin, chef at Ribs. - But due to the softness of coconut milk, the sharpness and acidity of spices and easily digestible fats in seafood, it is easier to digest. Ate a whole cup, satiated, and the food is quickly digested and does not remain heavy.
When creating his author's version of the soup, our interviewee followed the classic recipe, but also developed his own recipe for tom yum paste, which is made from onions, garlic, ginger, hot pepper and lemongrass. All of the above ingredients are sauteed, which gives the dressing a richer flavor. A product made from local ingredients in a restaurant kitchen retains more essential oils and is generally more flavorful than store-bought pasta from a package.
To the base broth for the soup, in addition to coconut milk, Chef Travkin adds oyster mushrooms, tomatoes, shrimp, squid and mussels. The dish is served with basmati rice with a slice of lime, green onions and cilantro.
You can listen to Ilya Travkin's detailed story about modern cuisine of the Volga region in Izvestia's podcast "Conversation with Taste".
Chang (St. Petersburg)
Denis Prokhorov, the brand-chef of Chang restaurant, explored Thai cuisine in detail. He traveled from the north of the country to the south, tasted local tom yams everywhere and found out that their recipe differs noticeably from region to region: some do not use coconut milk at all, others use tamarind and other different ingredients. For his own version of the soup, he also developed his own tom yam paste, which turned out to be as authentic in flavor as possible.
Tom yum at Chang's
- The first thing to do is to put lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal, ginger, garlic, onion, chili pepper, coriander root and many different spices through a meat grinder," our interviewee shared the details of the recipe. - Then we fry the resulting mass on vegetable oil and add chicken broth from fried Ossetian chickens. It is boiled for 12 hours and turns out to be so rich that it stands up like jelly. This density of the broth, combined with the naturalness and freshness of the paste, makes the preparation very fragrant and full of healing properties.
We then add a little coconut milk, palm sugar and lime juice to the resulting mixture for balance. And then we put lots of seafood (tiger prawns, squid, vongole, salmon, scallops), ube tomatoes, green onions, oyster mushrooms and serve everything with rice, lime and chili. "The two finishing touches are a couple of drops of cilantro oil and chili oil to enhance the flavor," the chef recommends.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
