Khao tom is one of our street food in Thailand, being widely eaten as a breakfast dish. as well as an accompaniment to lunch. It can be cooked plain (without the meat), or as here with pork rib. It can also be made by simple substitution with chicken, pork, shrimp or any combination of seafood that you have to hand. It can be made with cooked left over chicken/shrimp etc, or as here with fresh ingredients. It is however almost always made from pre-cooked rice from a day before (though not always left-overs: the cook will often simply ladle enough rice from the electric rice pot to make the soup shortly before serving). Made with chicken it is a popular meal for recovering patients who still feel a little queasy.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup cooked Thai jasmine rice
- 500 g. pork spare ribs cut into 2" lenghts
- 1 cup thinly sliced Chinese celery (including the leaves), or spring onion
- half teaspoon preserved cabbage
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Thai pepper powder
- fried garlic to taste, and a half teaspoon of salted radish always adds a nice taste
PREPARATION:
- Pour water into a pot, bring to boil on high heat, wash spare ribs, and add into boiled water. Reduce heat to medium. After 1 hour, spoon only ribs into another pot or put them into a slow cooker.
- In a very small amount of oil saute the garlic until golden brown and beginning to crisp up. Pour in the water, and bring to the boil. Next add the celery, Maggi sauce, and fish sauce and pepper powder, and stir until it boils again. Now add the rice, preserved cabbage, shiitake, pork rib soup and return to the boil, continuing to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle fried garlic over each serving, and garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves, we like to add a few thin slices of fresh ginger also.
