Everyone (well maybe not everyone) has heard of tom yum, a very tradition Thai soup. If you don’t know about it, here’s something about it from wikipedia:

Tom yum or tom yam (Lao: ຕົ້ມຍຳ [tôm.ɲám]; Thai: ต้มยำ,  [tôm.jām] ( listen)) is a Lao and Thai, clear, spicy and sour soup.^[1] Tom yum is widely served in neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Brunei,Malaysia and Singapore, and has been popularised around the world.

Literally, the words “tom yum” are derived from two Tai words: “tom” and “yam”. “Tom” refers to boiling process, while “yam” refers to a kind of Lao and Thai spicy and sour salad. Thus, “tom yum” is a Lao and Thai hot and sour soup. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant herbs generously used in the broth. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce, and crushed chili peppers.

Today, we’re looking at this Quick Zabb, which is a tom klong style instant. So, what’s tom klong you ask? Again, we look to wikipedia:

Less well-known outside Thailand is tom khlong (ต้มโคล้ง), a spicy sour soup where the sourness, however, does not derive from lime juice but through the use of tamarind.^[11]

Tamarind is very popular in this part of the world for it’s sour properties. I’ve reviewed quite a few asam laksa varieties from Malaysia. Asam is the Malay word for sour, and often refers to the tamarind element. Let’s check out this Wai Wai Quick Zabb tom Klong!

Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add all ingredients to a bowl and add 320ml boiling water. Cover for 2 minutes, stir, and enjoy!

The noodle block.

A dual sachet – soup base powder on the left and seasoned oil on the right.

Has an interesting scent – a kind of sour and smoky one.

Has a strong onion scent.

 

Finished (click image to enlarge). Added fish balls, coriander and mung bean sprouts. The noodles are nice – they have a good chew to them and a slightly sweet taste. The broth is not tame by any means. Spiciness is in the forefront – strong spiciness. The second taste is this very sour and kind of smoky and fishy  taste which I’m guessing is from the tamarind. Together, they go kind of well with the flavor of the noodles. The are little bits that float around as well – some kind of herb or spice. Vicious in it’s heat level. 2.75 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 8850100121011.

Wai Wai Quick Zabb Thai Tom Klhong Flavour Instant Noodles 60g X 10 Packs

A Wai Wai Quick Zabb Tv advertisement.