Gang Som Gung

This is a very healthy Thai soup, and tastes best if refrigerated overnight, allowing the flavours to develop to their potential. This soup, done well, produces the four tastes of Asia; hot, sour, salty and sweet. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, even leafy vegetables are good. We used the small dry chilis for this, they are hotter than the larger chilis.

Gang Som Gung
10 shrimp (deveined)
400 g fresh white fish flesh
1/4 cup tamarind water
1-2 Tbsp fish sauce
1-2 tsp palm sugar
4 cups water
1 boullion cube
2 eggs
mixed vegetables (long bean, cauliflower, green papaya, daikon, zucchini, etc.), cut into small pieces

Chop fish flesh and divide it into 2 portions. Boil one portion until done and blend together with the chili paste (see below for recipe).

Boil water and boullion cube together until boiling, then add the chili paste and fish from above. Once the water is boiling again, add the other portion of fish flesh and cook until done.

Add tamarind water, fish sauce and palm sugar. Taste the soup (It should taste hot, sour, salty and sweet; adjust as you like). Add shrimp and boil for another minute.

Leave overnight in fridge to allow flavours to develop (best), or use right away.

Beat the eggs and fry as an omelette; cut into pieces.

Finally add cut vegetables and omelette pieces; let boil for a minute or two, until vegetables are slightly cooked. Stir well to combine.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Gang Som Chili paste:
10 dry small chili (seeded)
5 shallots
5 small garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kapi (Thai shrimp paste)
1 teaspoon salt

Soak dry chili until soft, then pat dry. Grind all ingredients together to make a paste.