Tom Yam Paste | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

Full question

What is tom yam paste and where is it available or what is best to use instead? Also what is the substitute for canola oil?

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Nigella uses tom yam paste in her Crunchy Salad With Hot And Sour Drressing (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) and Hot And Sour Soup (from NIGELLA BITES). Tom yam (also called tom yum) paste is a paste made from a base of shallot, lemongrass, chillies, galangal (or sometimes ginger), lime leaves and fish sauce. It is used in the Thai hot and sour tom yum soup. It can be found in many major UK supermarkets and also in Asian grocers and on-line. A good substitute is quite difficult but a red Thai curry paste would probably be the closest alternative. However you may need to add a few squeezes of lime juice and a pinch of sugar to help with the balance of hot, spicy, sweet and sour flavours if using a curry paste.

Canola oil is a flavourless vegetable oil made from rapeseed. Any flavourless vegetable oil, such as sunflower or corn oil, could be used as a substitute.

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Tom Yam Paste | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

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Tom Yam Paste | Ask Nigella.com? ›

Tom yam

Tom yam
hot and sour Thai soup. Tom yum or tom yam is a type of hot and sour soup that originated in Thailand. It is usually contains prawn. The other basic ingredients used for cooking this soup include lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves along with chillies, tomatoes, coriander and fish sauce.
https://simple.wikipedia.org › wiki › Tom_yum
paste is a paste that is used to make tom yam (or tom yum) soup, a soup that traditionally has a combination of hot, sour, sweet and salty flavours. Tom yum paste is the same thing and can be used in the salad dressing.

What is a good substitute for tom yum paste? ›

A good substitute is quite difficult but a red Thai curry paste would probably be the closest alternative. However you may need to add a few squeezes of lime juice and a pinch of sugar to help with the balance of hot, spicy, sweet and sour flavours if using a curry paste.

Is tom yam and tom yum the same thing? ›

Thai soups are some of the most well-known dishes of Thai cuisine. If you've had any exposure to Thai food, you'll likely recognize tom yum (also spelled tom yam) or even tom kha. And, if you want to learn how to cook Thai food, soups are some of the easiest recipes to start with.

What is tom yam paste made of? ›

Tom yum soup paste recipe

Made with kaffir lime leaves, chilies, and galangal, it's a staple in Thai cuisine and a worldwide hit. It's easy to start from scratch with this fresh and fragrant homemade tom yam paste – it's a little bit spicy, a tad sour, and totally delicious.

What does tom yam taste like? ›

What Does Tom Yum Soup Taste Like? The flavor of tom yum should be sour upfront from lime juice, then salty from fish sauce, with a mild sweetness from nam prik pao paste. You might not be able to necessarily taste the lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, but these aromatics should hit your nose while you slurp.

What are the ingredients in real Thai Tom Yum paste? ›

Material : Coconut milk, sugar, salt, galangal, shallot, lemongrass, garlic, non-dairy creamer, msg, soy sauce, citric acid, modified corn starch, chile, kaffir lime leaves, sodium metabisulfite.

What are the ingredients in Thai taste Tom Yum paste? ›

Ingredients: Fresh lemongrass, rice bran oil, salt, sugar, fresh galangal, fresh onion, water, fresh chilli, fresh garlic, fresh lime, dried shrimp (crustacean), fresh kaffir lime leaves, acidity regulator:citric acid.

Is Tom Yum bad for cholesterol? ›

Coconut milk is also another common ingredient that you will find in Tom Yum Goong. It is known for its effectiveness in lowering cholesterol, and improving your immune system.

Why does Tom Yum taste so good? ›

For most varieties a paste called nam phrik phao (Thai: น้ำพริกเผา) is also added, made from shrimp, chilis, shallots, and garlic. This imparts sweet, salty, and spicy tastes. Yet other ingredients may also be used, depending on the exact variety of tom yam, such as evaporated milk.

Is Tom Yam good for you? ›

Tom Yum Soup is good for you, with just 156 calories per serving and very low fat.

How long is Tom Yum paste good for after opening? ›

Please store in a cool and dry place. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 6 month.

What does Tom Yam mean in English? ›

Originated in Thailand, this is sometimes called Tom Yam and is a soup that normally includes shrimp in a hot and sour serving. The words Tom Yam mean “boiling” or “hot” and “spicy and sour” which perfectly describes this soup. As a staple Thai dish, this famous Tom Yum Goong is served in Thai Square.

Is Tom Yum paste healthy? ›

Yes, homemade Tom Yum Paste is healthy. All the Thai herbs in it are packed with antioxidants that help keep your body strong, and especially if you make your own it's so good for you since you don't add any weird preservative ingredients that they might add at a factory.

Why do people love Tom Yam? ›

The aroma from various kinds of herbs, be it shallot, lemongrass combined with the bold sour of the lime, the spiciness from fresh chilies, and its mellow sweet flavor make Tom Yum Kung a top favorite to people around the world.

Is Tom Yam paste spicy? ›

Sour and spicy, this Thai herbs-infused broth is a must on any Thai restaurant menu.

What can I use instead of Thai paste? ›

Other Curry Pastes

Other Thai / Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes. Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used.

Can you substitute Tom Yum for red curry paste? ›

Use tom yum paste as an alternative to red curry paste in vegan tom kha soup. Tom yum paste can hook up to grilled or stir-fried veggies or to top mi xao xi dau with.

What are the two types of Tom Yum soup? ›

There are two different types of Tom Yum soup. The original Tom Yum is a clear soup called Tom Yum Nam Sai. The later version, which is commonly seen and widely adored, is a vibrant-coloured, richer and creamier soup called Tom Yum Nam Khon as it has roasted chilli paste, evaporated milk or coconut cream added to it.

What is the difference between Tom Kha paste and Tom Yum paste? ›

Tom Kha often calls for more galangal or ginger flavor than lemongrass, where Tom Yum tends to be more lemongrass than galangal. Tom Kha also often comes with more mushrooms, which add umami, and fewer other vegetables since adding too many can dilute the sweetness.

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