Soups

They're one of the most comforting foods. Which is why every cuisine has its own soup or a version of it.  Soups are food for the soul. They can be hearty or light, thick or clear, hot or cold. With soups, its not about the dish itself. It's about the feeling you have as you consume it. It's about the way your heart and soul feels - like someone's wrapped you up in a blanket and given you a hug.

One of the best things about living and travelling in South East Asia was the food. So many cuisines, varieties of dishes, each with different ingredients, textures, and flavors.

One of the first things I had the joy of experiencing in Myanmar was a breakfast dish called 'Ohn no khao swè'. It's a noodle soup dish. The base is made using a curried chicken and coconut milk broth and is served with a boiled egg, sliced onions and chilies on the side. I loved the taste of the Ohn no khao swè soup, when I first tried it. It was delicious, and the novelty of "soup for breakfast" was something I appreciated.

During our time in Myanmar, we traveled to Thailand often, for holidays or my husband's meetings. On our travels, I'd want to try the local foods and my husband would love to introduce me to new dishes. One of the first Thai dishes he introduced me to was his favorite, the Tom Yum soup. Once I tried it, I too was struck by Cupid's arrow. I felt the soup travel to the depths of my soul, cleansing and rejuvenating me.

Since then, whenever we travel to Thailand, the Tom Yum is the first dish we order no matter what. And when we visit a Thai restaurant, it is an obvious must-have. We loved it so much, I even learned to make it at home.

So when this video came up on my feed, it was a pleasant surprise. It brought back the memories of all the times I've had Tom Yum soup. Having not visited a Thai restaurant or made the soup in quite a while, I was encouraged to prepare the soup and was delighted by the simplicity of the dish. I loved sharing it with my husband, just like in the old days. It left us with the same warmth and comfort we experienced the first time we had it together.