Gaeng som pla
southern Thai foodCalled "gaeng leung" in Bangkok, gaeng som is the ultimate bigwig of southern Thai comfort, a soup with such potent delicious flavor it's a culinary wake up call -- like a bowl of orange juice set on fire.
In Thai, it means "sour curry," though it covers a much larger range of tastes. The soup is usually made with a liquid fish base combined with curry paste and turmeric, which turns it into a yellowish orange color.
Gaeng som is commonly cooked with bamboo shoots, green papaya or slices of pineapple.