Tom Saab Moo
Spicy, sour Thai pork soup with lemongrass, lime, and fresh herbs. A vibrant, aromatic bowl that's bright and warming in every spoonful.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground pork
- 3 cups chicken or pork stock
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 stalk lemongrass, outer layers removed and sliced into thin rings
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ¼ cup fresh Thai basil or cilantro
- 1 whole fresh Thai red chilies, sliced thinly
Instructions
- 1
Peel away the outer 2–3 papery layers of the lemongrass stalk by hand and discard them, leaving the pale, tender inner part.
- 2
Place the lemongrass stalk on a cutting board and slice it crosswise into thin rings about the width of a pencil eraser, from the bottom to where it becomes too hard to cut.
- 3
Cut the fresh red chili lengthwise in half to open it, then slice it crosswise into thin rings about the width of a coin, removing seeds if you want less heat.
- 4
Place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat, add the ground pork, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, breaking it into small crumbles about the size of peas, until no pink remains, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Add the curry paste to the cooked pork and stir constantly for 1 minute until the mixture smells fragrant and the paste coats all the meat.
- 6
Pour in the stock slowly while stirring, ensuring no lumps of curry paste remain at the bottom of the pot.
- 7
Add the lemongrass rings and bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat—you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lemongrass has softened and infused the broth with flavor.
- 9
Remove the pot from heat, stir in the fish sauce and lime juice, and taste the broth—it should be equally sour, salty, and aromatic.
- 10
Ladle the soup into two bowls, dividing the pork and lemongrass evenly between them.
- 11
Scatter the fresh basil leaves and sliced chili rings evenly over the surface of each bowl.
Tools you’ll need
- 3-quart pot with lid
- wooden spoon
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- ladle
- two serving bowls
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