Thai Clear Soup (Gang Jued)

Thai Clear Soup or Gang Jued is a lot less famous than Tom Yam or Green Curry.  If, however, you are looking for something light and healthy especially when you don't feel well, then Gang Jued won't be disappointing.  As a matter of fact, this Thai dish is often brought to the bed of the ill one.

The taste is light and slightly fragrant from the fresh herbs added to the soup such as Thai Coriander (Phak Chee) or Thai Celery (Kuen Chai). Mmmmmmm I can almost smell the subtle fragrance of those herbs now.

The soup is usually a meat-based broth, most of the time with chicken.  Then the meat of your choice is added; the popular one being minced pork (Moo Sub), or pork ribs cooked until is becomes very soft. Chicken is often used but usually you will find drumette (the small drumstick) or mid-joint wing cooked until very, very soft.  Chicken soup has been famous here in Thailand since the old days too!  :) 

Then the most popular veggies used in Gang Jued is the Chinese cabbage (Pak Gad Kow), as well as seaweeds (Saraii) if you are at restaurants. 99% of the time you will also find soft tofu (Tao Huu) in this soup.  To order this, say Gang Jued Sarai, Pak Gad Kow Tao Huu Moo Sub. Gang Jued Tao Huu Moo Sub mostly will contain the Chinese cabbage.

The other favourite Gang Jued for us is Gang Fak or Tom Fak... Fak is winter gourd and is well known for its Yin qualities: cooling and calming.

Other vegetables popular for Gang Jued include white radish (Hua Chai Tao), bitter gourd (Mara), cabbage (Ka Lam Plee), ivy gourd leaves (Tum Lueng),  fresh sweet bamboo shoot (Nor Mai Wan) and dry Chinese bamboo shoots (Nor Mai Jeen). Bitter gourd (Mara), Winter Gourd (Fak) and cabbages (Ka Lam Plee) are often stuffed with minced pork (Moo Sub) in Gang Jued.

Other common ingredients you'll get in your Gang Jued can also include glass noodle (Woon Sen), Thai omelette (Kai) or egg sausage (Look Rok); the latter is not very easy to find these days.

Then before serving, add coriander (Pak Chee), chopped spring onions (Ton Hom) and some Thai celery leaves (Kuen Chai).  Some shops also top the dish with fried garlic (Kratiem Jiew).
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Gang Jued Saraii + Pak Kad Kao
Gang Fak