Sour Fish Curry (Gaeng Som Pla)
A bright, tangy tamarind broth built on a simple pounded chili-shallot paste, with chunks of firm fish and tender vegetables. Sour, salty and a little sweet, it's the kind of bowl Thai home cooks make on repeat.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prep the fish
Rub the fish chunks with the salt, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. This simple step pulls out any fishy smell and firms up the flesh so it holds together in the soup.
- 400 g fish
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the fish feels firm and smells clean, not fishy
Make the chili paste
In a mortar, pound the soaked chilies with the shallots, and shrimp paste into a fairly smooth, fragrant paste. A food processor works too, but pounding bruises the fibers and releases more flavor.
- 5 dried red chilies
- 4 shallots
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste
✅ Done when: the paste is fine and no large chunks remain
Soak the tamarind
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Start the broth
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Season the broth
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Cook the radish and fish
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Finish and serve
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Prep the fish
Rub the fish chunks with the salt, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. This simple step pulls out any fishy smell and firms up the flesh so it holds together in the soup.
- 400 g fish
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the fish feels firm and smells clean, not fishy
Make the chili paste
In a mortar, pound the soaked chilies with the shallots, and shrimp paste into a fairly smooth, fragrant paste. A food processor works too, but pounding bruises the fibers and releases more flavor.
- 5 dried red chilies
- 4 shallots
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste
✅ Done when: the paste is fine and no large chunks remain
Soak the tamarind
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Start the broth
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Season the broth
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Cook the radish and fish
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Finish and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Gaeng som belongs to the family of Thai curries made without coconut milk, where sourness from tamarind and heat from a simple pounded chili paste do all the work. It is one of the everyday soups found on home tables and in simple rice-and-curry shops, built around whatever firm fish and vegetables are in season.
Fingerroot, or krachai, is what sets this curry apart from other sour soups; its peppery, citrus-like bite cuts through the richness of the fish and balances the tartness of the tamarind.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for being clean, punchy and completely balanced: sour, salty, a little sweet, with no coconut milk to soften the edges, so every flavor stays sharp and clear.
💡 Fun Fact
The name simply means 'sour curry' in Thai — there is no single fixed recipe, and nearly every region and household has its own version depending on the fish and vegetables at hand.
Central and Southern Thailand
13.76°N, 100.50°E
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