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Seared Scallops With Tom Yum Sauce

Eight seared scallops with tom yum sauce on a plate.
Photo by Janis Nicolay

Over the years, I have shared many a tom yum recipe, from various versions of the traditional soup to tom yum pizza. Tom yum is my favorite flavor for instant noodles, chips, and pretzel sticks. But this tom yum dish with seared scallops is one of my favorites. So luxe, yet so easy and quick, perfect for a special occasion that you might not have much time to prep for, like a weeknight anniversary dinner. For a side dish pairing, I suggest some sautéed oyster or shimeji mushrooms. Because mushrooms are usually a must-have in a traditional tom yum, they would go very well together.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Sabai' by Pailin Chongchitnant. Buy the full book on Amazon. Get more scallop recipes here →

What you’ll need

Cooks' Note

Ideally, you want scallops that are about 16 pieces to a pound, which are about 1½ inches in diameter when raw. Larger ones are okay, but they will take longer to cook. Avoid small scallops, as they are not meaty enough to withstand the bold flavors of the sauce.

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