Tom saab pork spare rib recipe

Tom saab is an Isan style dish that is popularly served in Isan style restaurants. This is one of the Isan food menus, which should not forget to ask for.

Tom saab is also a dish in tom yum soup category. So that, the herbal ingredients like galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves are also included in the dish to add classic tom yam flavor. First of all, it needs to simmer pork spare ribs together with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for about an hour. Doing this, not only to ensure the spare ribs should be tender enough, but also to let the herbal scents and flavors gradually penetrate into them. Sure that, the finished dish will be very delicious.

In flavoring to taste, lime juice should be added just after the soup is just removed from heat to ensure the scent and flavor will be fresher and stronger.

Ingredients

• 500 g pork spare ribs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 cups water (or stock)
• 5 thin slices galangal
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2-inch lengths and then crushed
• 3 citrus leaves (use kaffir lime leaves if available), midribs remove and then torn into pieces.
• 10 fresh small-size chili peppers (us bird’s eye chili if available), crushed
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1 parsley, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 green onion, chopped

Direction

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add galangal, lemongrass and citrus leaves and cook until fragrant.
2. Add pork spare ribs. Bring to a simmer and cook for an hour or until the spare ribs are really tender.
3. Remove from heat and flavoring to taste as need with fresh chilies, fish sauce and lime juice. Add parsley and press to soak.
4. To serve, spoon into a serving bowl. Sprinkle over to garnish with chopped green onion.

To enhance flavor, adding a spoonful of ground roasted rice is a good idea. If do not like hot meals, reduce an amount of chili peppers.