Thailand – Khao Tom

by Fauzan Anandika

Ready to get wet? As a tourist that wants to visit Southeast Asia, in the early year most of the countries in a rainy season. Surrounded by ocean make Southeast Asia have a high rainfall every year. Some of them celebrate it with a special event like what happened in Thailand. They held Songkrang event in many big cities.

Songkrang is a water festival that is held every Thai New year for three full days. The festival is all about a water fight. Water guns, hose pipes, buckets, and everything you can get in your hand to water splash anyone near you. A massive number of people, all wet dancing in the street and they can do it for one full week. Besides partying, they also clean up their temple, the Buddha statue, and sharing food with the priest.

In the beginning, the Songkrang event intended to clean up the temple, but people start to splashing the remaining washing water. Songkrang word comes from the Sanskrit language that means movement. Songkrang festival has become a tourist attraction since many years ago, not only domestic but also foreign tourist comes to enjoy the Songkrang festival.

After playing with water, it would be great to eat something warm, and Thailand has the tastiest porridge in the world, called Khao Tom. Asian people usually eat porridge on rainy days or for breakfast. Topped with shredded chicken or seafood makes Khao Tom contain high protein that could recharge your energy during your vacation. Khao Tom uses Thai specials spice that warms our body after eating it. Lemongrass, coriander, and pepper are some of the spices.

You can found Khao Tom ingredients in the local market, and it serves with a side of grilled anchovy. So, let’s cook some Khao Tom and follow the recipe below.

Ingredient

• 200-gram warm rice
• 100-gram chicken breast or beef, ground.
• 2 stick of lemongrass, crushed
• 1 piece of carrot, diced cut
• 1 piece of potato, diced cut
• 750 ml of water
• 30 ml of lime juice
• 2 tablespoon Thai sauce
• 2 tablespoon of cooking oil

Ground spice

• 3 clove of garlic
• ½ white pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 15-gram coriander leaves

Garnish

• 2 clove of garlic, minced and fried
• 1 cm of ginger, thin slice and fried
• 1 teaspoon of chopped coriander leaves.

Grilled anchovy ingredient

• 500 gram of unsalted rice anchovy
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 200 ml cooking oil

Grilled anchovy preparation

1. Prepare a baking sheet and cover it with baking paper.
2. Place anchovy all over the baking sheet.
3. Bake it with 100 degree Celsius heat for 40 minutes.
4. Add all the spice and mix with the grilled anchovy.
5. Bake again for 1 hour
6. Set aside.
7. Prepare a frying pan and cooking oil.
8. Fry the anchovy until crispy.

How to cook

1. Prepare a cooking pan, add cooking oil.
2. Add ground spice, cook until fragrance.
3. Add chicken or beef, cooking until turning brown.
4. Add water and lemongrass, cook until boiling.
5. Add Thai sauce and lemon juice. Check the taste.

Preparation

1. Prepare a serving pan.
2. Add warm rice and pour the soup.
3. Sprinkle with garnish.
4. Khao Tom is ready to be served with a side of grilled anchovy.