Brian Kennett
Amateur Chef and Foodie Extraordinaire
Try this Thai hot, sour, salty, sweet soup called
Dtom Jiw Gai
I think this is the best soup I have ever created to date so you must try his version of Dtom Jiw Gai – Thai hot, sour, salty, sweet soup. I made this especially for my Mary once when she was sadly leaving us for 10 whole days with Baby Jude with her. Very sad indeed. So a promise of a Thai soup was in order as a parting gift.
This is fairly simple folks, and I’ll walk you through the recipe in two phases to make it even easier for you. This will make enough soup for 4, at least. You are going to get hit here with all the things I love about Thai food – it’s spicy, it’s sour, it’s salty and it’s sweet – all in one bowl. Bring it on.
Dtom Jiw Gai – Thai hot, sour, salty, sweet soup
Phase I – the stock;
- 2 litres of chicken stock;
- A good pinch of salt and pepper;
- 4 finely sliced shallots;
- 1″ of young ginger or galangal roughly sliced;
- 2 peeled and bashed stalks of lemon grass;
- 1 sliced lemon (skin on and all); and
- 400g of pork or chicken mince.
Into a large pot add the stock and bring to a boil. Add in the salt and pepper, shallots, ginger, lemon grass, lemon slices and pork mince. Reduce to a simmer and then await the cooking of the pork mince (or chicken) – make sure to keep breaking up any clumping of the meat, you don’t want lumps.
When the meat is fully cooked take a slotted spoon and remove the aromatics – so basically the ginger, lemon and lemongrass. Keep this on a low simmer now for a wee while longer and start work on Phase II.
Phase II – the addition and finalisation of the soup;
- 3 tablespoons of fish sauce;
- 3 tablespoons of lime juice – I added a little more as I like a sour taste;
- 1 peeled and finely chopped lemongrass stalk;
- 3 Spring onions finely sliced;
- 1 cup of fresh bean-sprouts;
- 1 chili padi finely sliced (I added one just for me. You could have lit fires with my farts after eating this);
- 1 cup of dried shrimps; and
- 1 cup of ripped coriander.
In to the simmering soup add the lime juice and fish sauce. You want to wait a minute or two and have a taste.
More salt need = more fish sauce; and
More sour needed = more lime juice.
In to the individual soup bowls add in an equal portion of the lemongrass, Spring onion, bean-sprouts, and chopped chili padi. Pour over the soup, ensuring you have a good portion of the meat per person too of course.
Add on top the ripped coriander and a sprinkle of dried shrimps and you are good to go.
Truly this one looks nice, right? But then comes the first taste – OMG – with or without chili padi it was highly regarded by all who ate. Well specifically my Mary and my Amy. An absolute winner – I really believe my best soup ever created to date.
You simply must try this one. It’s up there as one of the best I have ever done. Dtom Jiw Gai – Thai hot, sour, salty, sweet soup is a winner winner Thai Soup Dinner
