T5 Po Tak Seafood Recipe
Spicy and sour soup with mushrooms, squid, shrimp, green shelled mussels, imitation crab, ginger, lemon grass, galangal, basil, and cilantro.
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Ingredients
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Seafood
Broth & Aromatics
Mushrooms & Vegetables
Seasoning & Finish
Method
Seafood
Prepare seafood
Rinse squid, shrimp, mussels, and imitation crab under cold water. Pat dry. If using mussels, discard any that are open and do not close when tapped. Score squid tubes lightly in a crosshatch so they stay tender when cooked; slice into 1 cm wide rings. Devein shrimp if not already done. Cut imitation crab into bite-size pieces.
Broth & Aromatics
Toast aromatics (optional)
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and lightly crush garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just starting to color. This step mellows raw sharpness and deepens flavor.
Simmer broth
Add water or light seafood stock to the pot. Add sliced galangal, sliced ginger, and the bruised lemongrass stalks. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Skim any foam or impurities from the surface for 2–3 minutes.
Infuse flavours
Simmer the broth with aromatics for 8–10 minutes to allow galangal and lemongrass to infuse the soup. Do not simmer too long or galangal becomes bitter; 8–10 minutes is sufficient.
Mushrooms & Vegetables
Add mushrooms and tomatoes
Add the mushrooms and halved cherry tomatoes to the simmering broth. Continue to simmer for 3–4 minutes until mushrooms are tender and tomatoes begin to soften.
Add chilies
Add the bruised or sliced Thai chilies to the pot. Simmer 1 minute to release heat—adjust quantity to taste. Remember heat will intensify slightly after adding lime and fish sauce.
Seafood Cooking
Cook seafood in stages
Add the mussels first and cover the pot. Cook 2–3 minutes until most mussels have opened. Add the shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes until they begin to turn pink. Finally add the squid and imitation crab and simmer 1–2 minutes more. Cook just until seafood is opaque and cooked through — overcooking squid causes toughness. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
Seasoning & Finish
Adjust seasoning
Reduce heat to low. Stir in fish sauce, nam prik pao (or chili paste), and sugar. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning carefully: add more fish sauce for saltiness, more lime for sourness, or a touch more sugar if it's too sharp. Add the measured lime juice gradually (about half first), taste, then add more to reach the classic spicy-sour balance.
Finish with herbs
Turn off the heat. Stir in fresh Thai basil leaves and cilantro. Let them wilt in the hot broth for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and correct final seasoning (lime, fish sauce, salt) as needed.
Serve
Ladle soup into warm bowls, making sure each bowl gets a mix of mussels, shrimp, squid, and imitation crab. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and sliced chilies on the side for guests to add more heat or acidity.