Tom Saap — Thai Pork Rib Soup Recipe
This is the Thai pork rib soup my mother made on cool mornings in Korat, left on the heat while life happened around it, and finished with lime and fish sauce just before the bowls came out. Tom Saap is not a quick soup. It is a patient one. The ribs need time and the broth rewards every minute you give it.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork ribs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 cups water
- 1 stalk lemongrass cut into 2-inch pieces and bruised
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 inch piece galangal sliced
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 shallots sliced
- 3-4 Thai bird's eye chilies crushed
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- Fresh cilantro chopped (for garnish)
- Green onions chopped (for garnish)
- Fresh lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients:Cut the pork ribs into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Bruise the lemongrass by lightly smashing it with the back of a knife to release its flavors. Tear the kaffir lime leaves to enhance their fragrance. Slice the galangal, crush the garlic, and slice the shallots. These aromatic ingredients will form the flavor base of your soup.
- Boil the Pork RibsIn a large pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a boil. Add the pork ribs and let them boil for 5 minutes. This step helps to remove any impurities from the meat, ensuring a clean and clear broth. After boiling, drain and rinse the ribs under cold water to eliminate any remaining impurities after boiling.
- Simmer with AromaticsReturn the cleaned ribs to the pot and add the bruised lemongrass, torn kaffir lime leaves, sliced galangal, crushed garlic, and sliced shallots. Pour in the water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours. This slow simmering allows the flavors to meld together and the pork ribs to become tender.
- Add Mushrooms and SeasonAfter simmering:Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.Season the soup with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Stir well to combine, and taste to adjust the seasoning as needed. The salty, sour, and slightly sweet balance should be just right, enhancing the soup's natural flavors.
- Garnish and ServeLadle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions and Thai-bird chili's. Serve with fresh lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of citrus flavor. Enjoy your homemade Thai Pork Ribs Soup hot, and savor the aromatic and flavorful broth.
Video
Notes
Blanching the ribs before building the broth is the step most people skip. Do not skip it. The difference between a murky grey broth and a clear amber one is those three minutes of blanching and a rinse under cold water. The soup tastes better when the broth is clean.
The toasted rice powder is two teaspoons at the end, stirred in off the heat. It will not make the broth thick. It gives it a very slight body and a nutty depth that you would miss if it wasn't there. Make it yourself from raw jasmine rice — four minutes in a dry pan, then a mortar. Store-bought rice flour is not the same thing.
Season last, not during cooking. The broth reduces as it simmers and fish sauce concentrates. Add it at the end and taste carefully. The balance of fish sauce to lime juice is the whole dish. Too much fish sauce and it closes. Too much lime and it goes thin. Find the line.
Leftovers improve overnight. The broth deepens in the refrigerator and the fat rises to the surface where you can skim it easily the next morning. Reheat gently. Do not boil again.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ServingsCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 20gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 900mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
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