100 Years of the Tom Yum Goong Recipe : 1890–1990

Abstract

The purpose of this academic article is to study the Tom Yum Goong recipe from the cookbook from 1890 to 1990. This study employs a descriptive-analytical approach based on historical research methods and finds that Tom Yum can be categorized into three types: 1. Clear Tom Yum without herbal aromatics: contains shrimp and mushrooms, seasoned with fish sauce and lime juice, garnished with cilantro and fresh chilies. 2. Clear Tom Yum  herbal aromatics: Use various meats such as fish, beef, chicken, dried fish. Add herbs such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, add galangal, red onion, garlic, season with fish sauce, salt, fermented fish sauce, tamarind juice, or other sour fruits (e.g., mango, maddan, rakam).  3. Thick Tom Yum with herbal aromatics: similar to the clear herbal type but thickened with rice, parched rice (khao bua), ground legumes, or rice-wash water, often combined with nam phrik phao(roasted chili paste). Tom Yum can be prepared using three methods: 1. Stir-frying with oil: pound aromatics, stir-fry in oil until fragrant, then add water and other ingredients; 2. Without oil: bring water to a boil and add ingredients directly; 3. With coconut milk: cook in coconut milk for a rich broth.

Tom Yum Goong from the 1890 - 1990 cookbook has 5 observations as follows: 1. The term 'Tom' refers to a soup or curry with a substantial amount of broth, and the word "yum" means that there is a recipe similar to yum. 2. The thickness of the broth originally derived from rice water. 3. Nam phrik phao (roasted chili paste) was traditionally prepared by roasting/charing the ingredients. 4. Add citrus fruits and tamarind orange juice. 5. There were two principal cooking approaches historically: with oil-based sautéing (stir-frying aromatics) and without sautéing (direct boiling). Original recipe There is a difference with the current recipe. As follows: In modern recipes, the thick broth is often obtained from evaporated milk. No citrus fruits and tamarind orange juice are used, only lime juice is used to impart sourness and there is a non-whisking cooking method.