Tom Som Pla

1. 1

   Prepare the aromatic paste

   Using a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander seeds and white peppercorns until finely ground. Add the salt and continue pounding. Add the sliced shallots, minced ginger, and thinly sliced lemongrass, pounding until a relatively smooth paste forms. If using shrimp paste, add it last and pound until well blended into the mixture. The paste should be fragrant and relatively fine, though some texture is acceptable. Alternatively, you can use a small food processor or blender, adding a tablespoon of water if needed to help the ingredients blend.

   10m

   Tips:

   • • Toast the coriander seeds briefly in a dry pan before pounding to enhance their aroma
   • • Fresh ingredients are key - dried or powdered substitutes won't give the same depth of flavor
   • • A mortar and pestle gives the best texture, but a blender works in a pinch
2. 2

   Sauté the aromatic paste

   Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the prepared aromatic paste. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste becomes fragrant and the raw smell dissipates. The paste should sizzle gently and release its aromatic oils. Be careful not to burn it - if it starts to stick, lower the heat slightly.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • The paste should smell fragrant and toasted, not burnt
   • • This step is crucial for developing deep flavors in the soup
   • • Keep stirring to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom
3. 3

   Build the broth

   Add 3 cups of water to the saucepan with the sautéed paste. Stir well to incorporate the paste into the water. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and infuse the broth.

   5m

   Tips:

   • • Make sure to scrape any paste stuck to the bottom of the pan into the water
   • • The broth should be aromatic and slightly cloudy from the paste
   • • If using fish or vegetable stock instead of water, the flavor will be even richer
4. 4

   Season the broth

   Add the diluted tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and palm sugar to the simmering broth. Stir well to ensure the palm sugar dissolves completely. Taste the broth - it should have a clear sour flavor (from tamarind), followed by sweetness (from palm sugar), and then saltiness (from fish sauce). The balance should be sour-first, sweet-second, salty-third. Adjust the seasonings to your preference at this stage.

   3m

   Tips:

   • • The broth should be more sour and sweet than salty
   • • If using tamarind paste instead of concentrate, strain out any seeds or fibers
   • • It's easier to add more seasoning than to remove it, so add gradually
5. 5

   Add the fish

   Gently slide the fish pieces into the simmering broth. If using fish steaks with bones, add them whole. Arrange the fish in a single layer as much as possible. Bring the broth back to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the fish for 5-8 minutes depending on thickness, until it's cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Do not stir the soup vigorously - gentle movements will help keep the fish pieces intact.

   8m

   Tips:

   • • Use firm fish that won't fall apart easily during cooking
   • • Don't overcook the fish or it will become dry and tough
   • • Wild salmon, cod, halibut, tilapia, or sea bass all work excellently
   • • The fish should turn opaque and flake easily when done
6. 6

   Final touches and garnish

   Once the fish is cooked through, turn off the heat. Taste the broth one more time and adjust seasonings if needed - adding more tamarind for sourness, palm sugar for sweetness, or fish sauce for saltiness. Add the julienned fresh ginger and sliced spring onions directly to the pot, stirring gently. These fresh aromatics will add a bright, zingy finish to the soup.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • Adding fresh ginger at the end provides a crisp, spicy note that contrasts with the cooked aromatics
   • • Spring onions add a fresh, sharp flavor and visual appeal
   • • The residual heat will slightly cook these garnishes without making them mushy
7. 7

   Serve

   Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, ensuring each bowl gets a piece of fish and plenty of broth. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of crispy fried red onion and fresh cilantro if using. Serve immediately while hot, accompanied by steamed jasmine rice on the side. The soup is best enjoyed fresh.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • The crispy fried onions add a wonderful textural contrast to the soup
   • • Serve with plenty of rice to balance the intense sour-sweet flavors
   • • Tom Som Pla can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, though the fish may soften upon reheating

• •The flavor balance should be sour first, sweet second, and salty third - this is the key to authentic Tom Som Pla
• •Use fresh tamarind if possible for the best, most complex sourness
• •Choose firm white fish that holds its shape well during cooking - tilapia, snapper, sea bass, cod, or salmon are all excellent choices
• •Don't skip toasting the aromatic paste in oil - this step develops crucial depth of flavor
• •Add the fresh ginger garnish at the end for a bright, crisp contrast to the cooked aromatics
• •Shrimp paste is optional but adds an authentic umami depth to the broth
• •Be gentle when the fish is in the soup to keep the pieces intact
• •Tom Som Pla is milder and more balanced than the southern Thai gaeng som, making it more accessible
• •The soup can be prepared ahead up to the point of adding fish, then finished just before serving
• •Leftover soup can be refrigerated for 1-2 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the fish

• •
  Steamed jasmine rice (essential)
• •
  Thai-style omelet (khai jiao)
• •
  Som tam (green papaya salad)
• •
  Stir-fried morning glory (pad pak boong fai daeng)
• •
  Fried fish with fish sauce (pla tod nam pla)
• •
  Fresh cucumber slices
• •
  Steamed vegetables
• •
  Crispy pork belly (moo krop)

Tom Som Pla is a traditional Thai soup that exemplifies the Thai principle of balancing flavors - sour, sweet, and salty - in perfect harmony. The name 'tom som' literally translates to 'boiled sour,' indicating the soup's defining characteristic. While similar sour soups exist throughout Thailand, Tom Som Pla represents the Central Thai approach with its more moderate spice level and emphasis on the delicate balance between tamarind's sourness and palm sugar's sweetness. Unlike its southern cousin gaeng som (which is intensely spicy and uses curry paste), Tom Som Pla relies on a simpler aromatic base of coriander, pepper, lemongrass, ginger, and shallots, making it accessible while still being distinctively Thai. The soup has been a household staple for generations, particularly in riverside communities where fresh fish was abundant. It represents Thai home cooking at its finest - simple ingredients transformed through careful seasoning into a deeply satisfying and restorative dish. Tom Som Pla is considered comfort food, often prepared when someone is feeling under the weather or simply craving something light yet flavorful. The addition of ginger distinguishes it from tom yum soups and provides warming properties valued in traditional Thai medicine.

Authentic Tom Som Pla is defined by its careful balance of flavors, with sourness from tamarind being the most prominent, followed by sweetness from palm sugar, and finally saltiness from fish sauce - in that specific order. This flavor hierarchy distinguishes it from other Thai soups. Fresh ingredients are crucial: fresh tamarind paste or concentrate (not bottled tamarind sauce), fresh lemongrass, and fresh ginger rather than dried or powdered versions. The aromatic paste should be pounded in a mortar and pestle for the best texture and flavor release, though a blender is an acceptable modern shortcut. Unlike southern-style gaeng som which uses a complex curry paste with many chilies, Tom Som Pla's paste is simpler and milder, focusing on coriander, pepper, lemongrass, ginger, and shallots. The soup should be relatively clear, not thick, and should not contain coconut milk. Using firm, fresh fish is essential - the fish should maintain its shape and not fall apart into the soup. The addition of julienned fresh ginger and spring onions at the end is traditional and provides a bright contrast to the deeper cooked flavors. Shrimp paste, while optional, adds authentic umami depth. The soup should be light and refreshing rather than heavy, making it suitable for Thailand's warm climate. Serving with steamed jasmine rice is essential, as the rice balances and absorbs the intense sour-sweet-salty flavors of the broth.