Taro Stem Spicy Soup with Fish (Gaeng Toon Sai Pla)
A comforting and healthy choice, it’s the perfect bowl to warm your body on a chilly day. I like how the smokiness in Forgotten Husband rice embraces the spices in the soup so well.
Ingredients
Chili Paste
- 5–7 fresh red chilies (adjust for spice level)
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 slices galangal (about 1 inch)
- 1 medium tomato, quartered
- 2 tbsp fermented fish sauce or 2 tbsp fermented fish (strained, if using whole fermented fish)
Soup
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups taro stalks (cleaned, peeled, and cut into 1.5-inch pieces)
- 2 medium fish fillets or 1 small whole fish (e.g., tilapia, catfish, or snapper)
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
- 1/4 cup lemon verbena leaves (or more, to taste)
Instrcutions
1. Prepare the Chili Paste
Pound fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, salt, galangal, and tomato in a mortar and pestle (or blend in a food processor) until coarse. Add fermented fish sauce or strained fermented fish and mix well. Set aside.
2. Clean and Prepare the Taro Stalks
Wash taro stalks thoroughly, peel off the outer fibrous layer, and cut into 1.5-inch pieces. Wear gloves and gently squeeze or knead the pieces to soften their texture and reduce bitterness. Set aside.
3. Boil the Soup Base
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chili paste and stir to dissolve. Taste and adjust seasoning (add salt or more fish sauce if needed).
4. Cook the Taro Stalks
Add the taro stalks to the boiling soup. Simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
5. Add the Fish
Gently add the fish fillets or whole fish to the soup. "Do not stir" to prevent breaking the fish and releasing a fishy odor. Let the fish cook through, about 5–7 minutes.
6. Infuse with Lemon Verbena
Once the fish is cooked, add the lemon verbena leaves and turn off the heat. Let the soup rest to infuse with the leaves’ refreshing citrusy aroma.
7. Prepare the Rice
Rinse and soak the Forgotten Husband sticky rice and volcanic soil-grown jasmine rice for 2 hours. Steam them together for a unique pairing of the sticky rice’s chewy texture and the jasmine rice’s delicate, earthy aroma.
8. Adjust and Serve
Add lemon juice to the soup for a bright, tangy kick. Serve hot alongside the blended rice for a perfect balance of comfort and complexity.
