Dtom Kha (Revisited)
Sorry, the photographs for this post were lost when the Server crashed on May 23 2007.
Every afternoon, for a few minutes, the A-Team gather in the Chef´s Office. This precious time is used to decide if any changes need to be made for the evening menu (perhaps a certain ingredient hasn’t arrived, or perhaps we only have say, 7 portions of Weeping Tiger). We also discuss what dishes will be placed on the “Aharn Menu”, and what the “Amuse Bouche” will be. Ideas are thrown back and forth, changes are made, new ideas are developed, and changed again until we think we have come up with something “special”.
Khamhoung wanted to redo our “Cappuchino of Dtom Kha“.
Even though it retained the same name, we reworked it completely. We decided to serve our new version as a cold soup, and to add a twist, I decided to add a warm “Foam”. We agreed that King Prawns would add a nice touch, instead of Mushrooms and Beans that we had used before. I also changed the way the foam was prepared. It has to be served quick, otherwise the “head” will loose its delicate body and aroma.
You will need:
King Prawns, cleaned, deveined and chopped, then blanched in Chicken Stock then cooled.
1 litre of (finished) Dtom Kha Soup (everyone has their own recipe, used as a base are Chicken Stock, Lemon Grass, Galangal (where the name of the dish originates), Lime Leaves, Lime Juice, Coconut Milk, Fish Sauce, Crushed Coriander Root and Stem, Sugar (only if you must!) etc…). We use a double boiled Chicken Stock, which enhances the flavour.
Season the soup to taste, strain, keeping the liquid and discarding the rest. Place half the Soup in the fridge to chill.
For the Foam I use an ISI Whip.
Pic shows 1 litre and Half Litre (I use the latter)
To achieve the Foam, soak a Gelatin Leaf in cold water for 5 minutes until soft, remove from the water and add to 100ml of the warm strained Dtom Kha, mix until the Gelatin is dissolved, then add the remaining 400ml. Place in “ISI Whip” and charge with one Nitrous Oxide canister, shake a few times and recharge with another N2O canister (using 2 chargers will give you more “body”). Keep ISI Whip warm in a Bain-Marie until needed.
When ready to serve, place some chopped King Prawns in a Shot Glass, add the chilled Dtom Kha soup until about half full. Top with the warm Dtom Kha foam from the ISI Whip. Serve immediately, garnished with some chopped Chives.