Chim Chum

Chim Chum – Thai Lemongrass & Basil Meat Hotpot

A fragrant Thai hotpot where lean meat is simmered in a lemongrass-scented broth, finished with fresh Thai basil. Serve it as a communal dish with rice and extra herbs.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •2 stalks fresh lemongrass, bruised with the back of a knife, cut into 5 cm pieces
• •30 g (1 cup packed) Thai basil leaves, or sweet basil, if unavailable
• •300 g (10½ oz) pork loin or chicken breast, thinly sliced against the grain
• •1 L (4¼ cups) chicken or vegetable stock, low-sodium, preferably homemade
• •3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• •2 shallots, thinly sliced
• •3 tbsp fish sauce, or soy sauce for a vegetarian version, but fish sauce is traditional
• •2 tsp palm sugar, or brown sugar
• •1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
• •100 g (3½ oz) rice vermicelli or jasmine rice, to serve, optional

Steps

1. 1 In a large pot, bring the stock to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add the bruised lemongrass, garlic, and shallots. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth.
2. 2 Uncover and bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the sliced pork or chicken, stirring gently to separate the pieces. Cook until the meat is just cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) if using a thermometer, about 3–5 minutes for thin slices.
3. 3 Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar, adjusting to taste. Taste and balance with a squeeze of lime if needed.
4. 4 Remove the pot from the heat. Add the Thai basil leaves directly into the hot broth, allowing them to wilt from the residual heat.
5. 5 Ladle the Chim Chum into bowls or serve the pot at the table with lime wedges, extra basil, and steamed jasmine rice or cooked vermicelli on the side.