Gaeng om
Often mistaken for a curry dish, gaeong om is a herby soupy dish with vegetables and meat from Northeastern Thailand. While traditionally served as an accompaniment to larb, feel free to enjoy it as a soup or, paired with rice, as a main dish.Pork is used in this recipe. Feel free to substitute chicken, fish or beef.
Ingredients
- 2 stalks stalks lemongrass finely sliced
- 3 bird's eye chilies chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 one-inch knob galangal minced
- 1 pair kaffir lime leaves midrib removed
- 2 shallots finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- fish sauce to taste
- cooked pork belly (as much or as little as you like) cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 to 6 cups bone broth
- 3 cup cubed squash
- 3 cup eggplant wedges
- 1 handful Thai basil leaves
- sliced scallions to garnish
Instructions
- Grind the lemongrass, chilies, garlic, galangal and kaffir lime leaves together to make a paste.
- Heat the cooking oil. Saute the spice paste over medium-low heat with a splash of fish sauce.
- When the color of the paste deepens, add the sliced shallots. Continue sautéing for a minute.
- Add the pork to the pan. Stir to coat the meat with the spice paste.
- Pour in the broth. Season with more fish sauce. Bring to the boil.
- Add the squash. Allow the liquid to boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for five minutes.
- Throw in the eggplant wedges and the Thai basil leaves. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce, if needed.
- Simmer for another seven to ten minutes until both the eggplants and squash are tender.
- Sprinkle in the scallions.
- Serve your gaeng om immediately.
Notes
Based on a recipe from Joy's Thai Food.