Tom Yum Linguine

You can use store-bought Thai chili paste or make it from scratch.

Prepare the Thai chili paste.

Preheat oven to 200 degree celsius or 400 fahrenheit.

Wrap garlic and shallot in a aluminium foil.

Wack into the oven and roast for about 30 mins or until the garlic and shallots are soft.

Toast dried chilies in a skillet over medium heat.

Toast until aromatic and the chilies are lightly charred.

Blitz the toasted chili under powder forms in a spice grinder.

Blitz up the dried shrimps into fine pieces in the spice grinder as well.

Transfer the roasted garlic, shallots, toasted chilies and shrimps into a blender.

Add in the rest of the ingredients.

Blitz until smooth paste form.

Transfer into the same skillet over medium heat.

*You can add 1/4 cup of water into the blender to blitz up all the leftover nooks and crannies. Transfer the water mixture into the skillet.*

Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and it turns a darker shade of red.

Remove from heat and transfer into a sterilized jar.

*It can be kept in the fridge for up to 30 days.*

Prepare tom yum cheese sauce.

In a sauce pot over medium heat, add butter and flour.

Whisk to combine.

Continue whisking until the mixture is light brownish.

Gradually add in the chicken stock while still whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps. Whisk, whisk, whisk.

Add 2 heaped TBSP of Thai chili paste gradually while still whisking.

Whisk until well combined.

Add in the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, garlic powder, chili and fish sauce.

Whisk to combine well.

Add in the cheeses in batches.

Switch to a spatula and mix until the cheeses are incorporated and melted.

Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt.

Lastly, add in lime zest and juice.

Give it a final stir, remove from heat and set aside.

Marinade shrimps.

Transfer the shrimps into a large bowl.

Coat the shrimps well with baking soda.

Add just enuff cold water to submerge the shrimps.

Add in the ice cubes.

Set aside for at least 30 mins.

Drain and rinse the shrimps thoroughly under running water.

Pat the shrimps dry with kitchen paper.

Place shrimps into a small bowl along with egg white and tapioca starch.

Mix and coat the shrimps well with the marinade.

Cover with cling film and marinade in fridge overnight.

Prepare the pasta.

Submerge scallops and anchovies in warm water.

Set aside to soak for 1 hr or until the scallops are soft enuff to shred by hand.

Shred the scallops as finely as you can.

In a large bowl, add shredded scallops, anchovies and marinated shrimps.

Add in Thai chili paste.

Toss until everything is coated well with the paste.

In a skillet over medium heat, add canola oil.

Once the oil is heated up add in the seafood.

Stir fry until cook thru'.

Before stir frying, prepare a sauce pot with enuff water to cook the pasta.

Season the water well with sea salt until the water tastes like the ocean.

Bring it up to a boil.

*A key note, use 1 liter of water for every 100g of dried pasta.*

Add in the pasta and cook just under al dente, about 1 min under.

While the pasta is almost done, the seafood should be almost done too.

*Timing is crucial when cooking pasta.*

Transfer the pasta into the skillet with the seafood.

Add in the Tom Yum cheese sauce, mix and combine well.

Add in a few splashes of the pasta water to the consistency as desired.

Transfer onto serving plate.

Garnish with a light sprinkle of green onion.

Serve immediately.