How To: Make tom kha salmon soup with the Thai prime minister

The secret to making a delicious Thai soup, according to Prime Minister Samak, is pounding together Thai pepper powder, corriander seed and fresh garlic in a mortar & pestle. This paste he calls "Thai MSG" and you can add it to any soup for good results. See below for the correct proportions. Follow along with this cooking how-to video to learn how to make tom kha salmon soup.

Ingredients for tom kha salmon soup:

1 cube chicken buillion
1 lb salmon cut into bite-size chunks
1 teaspoon corriander seed
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon Thai pepper powder
1 cup sliced fresh galangal
1/4 cup sliced fresh lemongrass
1/4 cup kaffir lime leaves, sliced
1 cup fresh mushroom (more if desired)
2 13 oz cans coconut milk
7 tablespoons fish sauce

Method

Bring 6 cups water to a boil and add chicken buillion. In a mortar and pestle pound the corriander seed, garlic and Thai pepper powder into a paste. Add the paste to the boiling stock. Add salmon, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and stir. Add mushrooms, followed by coconut milk. Season with fish sauce (more or less as you prefer). Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Ladle into a serving bowl and season with lime juice (quantity as you prefer), then sprinkle with mild fresh chiles such as jalapeno, red and yellow bell peppers, or any mild chile peppers in season.

Samak suggested that this be served with a special mix of steamed rice. Simply mix 80% uncooked jasmine rice with 20% uncooked sticky rice, rinse, and steam together in a rice cooker. We love this combination too! Ladle the soup over a bowl of the steamed rice, and enjoy this excellent Thai soup--from the Prime Minister to you.