Sour Curry with Thai Omelette (Gaeng Som)

August 19, 2017

Sour Curry with Thai Omelette (Gaeng Som) © kvalifood.com

Gaeng som is a water-based Thai curry - no coconut milk, just broth - that’s sour, spicy, and light. It’s everyday home cooking in Thailand, not the kind of thing you’ll find in restaurants overseas. The best part is the pieces of omelette that soak up the broth like a sponge, then release it when you bite in. Shredded fish is pounded into the broth as a thickener, giving the thin curry body without heaviness. Tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Thai-Style Vegetable Omelette

2 large eggs
1 tsp fish sauce
1 ¾ dl sturdy vegetables (long beans, Chinese broccoli, (or broccoli florets)), finely chopped or julienned (see Notes)
Vegetable oil, as needed

The Curry

7 dl chicken stock, unsalted
60 g white fish meat (see Notes)
1 recipe gaeng som curry paste, (or 5 Tbsp store-bought)(see Notes)
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp fish sauce
60 ml tamarind juice
1 1/2 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
1/4 head cauliflower, small florets
10 long beans, cut into 5 cm pieces
1 l napa cabbage, bite-size pieces
200 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-2 Tbsp lime juice

Gaeng Som Curry Paste

10 large dried chilies
3-5 small dried chilies (see Notes)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white peppercorns
60 ml shallots, finely chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fingerroot (grachai), fresh (or brined), finely chopped
2 tsp shrimp paste (gapi)

Directions

Making the Gaeng Som Curry Paste

Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread both types of chilies on a baking tray without overlapping and roast for 5-7 minutes until slightly darkened. Let cool, then remove the seeds. Leave seeds in some or all of the small chilies for a spicier curry.

Grind the chilies into a powder using a spice or coffee grinder, or soak them in water for at least an hour to soften.

If using ground chilies: In a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, add the salt, white peppercorns, shallots, garlic, and fingerroot. Pound into a rough paste. Add the ground chilies and pound into a fine paste. Add the shrimp paste and pound to mix.

If using soaked chilies: Drain the chilies and dry off excess water with paper towel. Cut into small pieces. Add the chilies and salt to a heavy-duty mortar and pestle and pound into a fine paste. Add the shallots, garlic, and fingerroot and pound into a fine paste. Add the shrimp paste and pound to mix.

Making the Omelette

Beat the eggs and fish sauce with a fork, then stir in the vegetables. Heat a wok or small (8-10 inch) non-stick pan over medium-high heat with just enough oil to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, pour in the egg mixture, spread the vegetables out evenly, and turn the heat down to medium-low.

Cook without stirring until the bottom is golden brown and the omelette is firm enough to flip. Watch the heat - too hot and it’ll burn before it sets. Flip using a spatula or by tossing the pan (don’t worry if it breaks), and brown the other side. Slide onto paper towel to absorb excess oil. Cut into 1 1/2 inch square pieces.

Making the Curry

Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium pot. Add the fish and poach just until cooked. Remove the fish (leave the stock in the pot) and pound it in a mortar and pestle until completely shredded, or blend it with a splash of the stock. Return the shredded fish to the pot.

Add the curry paste to the stock and turn the heat to high, stirring to dissolve. Add the fish sauce, tamarind juice, and palm sugar. Let the curry boil for 1 minute to cook the paste.

Add the cauliflower and cook for 1-2 minutes until about halfway done. Add the long beans and napa cabbage and cook another 1-2 minutes until done. Add the shrimp and cook just until done, 30-60 seconds depending on size. Stir in the omelette pieces and remove from heat.

Taste and adjust seasoning. The curry should lead with sour - if it’s not sour enough, add lime juice to brighten it. Let the omelette absorb the curry for 5 minutes before serving with jasmine rice.

Notes

For the omelette vegetables, any sturdy green vegetable that doesn’t release much liquid when cooked works well. You can also skip the vegetables entirely and make a plain omelette with 3 eggs.
Use any white, mild-flavoured fish for the broth thickener - barramundi, tilapia, or branzino all work. The fish adds body to the water-based broth so it clings to the vegetables and rice.
Pre-made gaeng som curry paste is hard to find outside Thailand. It’s worth making from scratch.
Large dried chilies are mild; small dried chilies are spicy. Adjust the number of small chilies to control heat.
The vegetables listed are just one combination. Green papaya, daikon radish, and water spinach also work. No strict rules here.
Tamarind juice varies a lot in acidity between brands. If the curry needs more acid at the end, lime juice adds a nice sharp citrus quality, or you can add more tamarind.
The stock, curry paste, and omelette can all be made in advance.