Sotong Tom Yum from Sabah, Malaysia
A famous South East Asian dish found in Sabah
Tom Yum is a famous soup dish in South East Asia, mainly Laos and Thailand. It’s known for its sour and spicy flavors that give it a very distinct identification to the taste buds.
Sotong is the Malay for squid, of which there is plenty to be found in Sabah.
Soups are popular in Sabah but not with me
Everywhere I go there seems to be a small little restaurant or cafe with lots of spicy soup. Most, are very tasty indeed. However, finding a soup with something more substantial than liquid in the bowl has been a problem.
I eat to move and travel around, and soup doesn’t always do it for me. Thankfully Sotong Tom Yum comes to the rescue!
Pick a place with more meat than soup!
In one local eatery I found a Sotong Tom Yum that contained more meat and vegetables than soup. So I return many times for a hearty feast. I wouldn’t class Tom Yum soup as being one of my favorites, but this restaurants variation works a charm.
If you visit Sabah, and are looking for a meaty soup, Sotong Tom Yum might just hit the spot!
i don’t love soups so much, either, unless they are like stews and are filling! this looks yummy!
I very much agree with you Jessie. Stews, and dishes like this are what I like when traveling. Otherwise I’m simply hungry again after an hour, which is not good when you are on the move a lot! Yep, this meaty soup was good!
Boy oh boy! You have just ‘inceptionized’ the idea of tom yam to my thoughts! I love this hot and sour soup to bits. Best to go with white rice. :)
I will now admit to the world I put rice in my soup. It soaks up all the good tastes and fills me up well. I am getting lots of strange looks here because of it :) I learned this in Nepal, and still do it until today!
All that nice squid!! Oh, great to see a soup with something in it!
I think there are two squid hidden in this bowl!
Looks delicious. Was it chicken or pork as meat?
Squid! No chicken, no pork just squid. Sotong is Malay for Squid :)
But this is obviously not a soup! It’s sotong Tom Yum as in Squid prepared with the Tom Yum stock. If it were soup, It would be called Sup Sotong Tom Yum ! hehe .. just saying:P
Ha ha. Trust you to be picky! :) I am just a humble tourist. If the menu says it’s soup, and the person serving says it’s soup. And the girl in my guest-house says it’s soup, then … it’s soup!!! :P
I am not a big soup fan either, but this one looks really tasty and I do enjoy Tom Yum.
I can drink soup, mix it with rice, but as a meal it’s a no go for me. I’m too hungry when traveling to just have soup. Glad to see I am not the only one
I had vegetarian Tom Yum in Thailand– but I’m sure it wasn’t the same! I like my meals to have a whole lotta soup and no meat. We’re opposites :)
Ha ha, yes we are now “officially” opposites ;) I can’t handle eating vegetables alone, I am hungry an hour later. If not traveling, I find it’s easier, but if out walking all day long, I just get worn out very quickly. Don’t you get tired quickly? Or are you powered by energizer batteries? ;)
I really love soups. And I also like to try different types of soups every now and then. From the most creamy ones to the “not so soup” ones. This one looks incredible. I would have liked you to post the recipe as well, because I would like to try it.