| BANGKOK, Thailand -- For years, zesty Tom
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| | said Suratwadee Jiwajindra of Kasetsart
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| Yum Gung soup has been a mainstay of Thai
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| | University. Research also is focusing on
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| cooking. And now researchers are thinking
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| | edible plants in the region. "The ratio
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| it just might have cancer-fighting
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| | of the cancer pattern in Asians,
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| ingredients as well as good taste. "Tom
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| | especially southeast Asians, is very low
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| Yum Gung is Thailand's most favorite
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| | compared with the pattern in the European
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| soup," according to Chef Rolf Schmitz of
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| | and Western countries," Jiwajindra said.
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| the Regent Hotel's Spice Market
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| | In fact, Thais have a much lower
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| restaurant. "It's a shrimp soup with
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| | incidence of digestive tract cancers than
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| herbal ingredients like coriander, lemon
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| | people do in other countries.Traditional
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| grass, lime leaves and even galangal
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| | Thai cuisine -- famed for its heavy use
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| roots." Also called hot-and-sour soup,
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| | of herbs and spices -- has long been
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| the dish often includes straw mushrooms
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| | known to have health benefits, Jiwajindra
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| and a variety of chilies.A recent joint
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| | said. And despite its spicy taste, Tom
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| study by Thailand's Kasetsart University
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| | Yum Gung continues to be popular, said
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| and Japan's Kyoto and Kinki Universities
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| | Schmitz, calling the soup "definitely the
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| has found that the ingredients in Tom Yum
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| | best seller if you look into the
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| Gung soup are 100 times more effective in
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| | statistics." Every month, the soup is "at
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| inhibiting cancerous tumor growth than
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| | the top of the charts," he added. "A day,
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| other foods. Scientists are seeking to
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| | I'd say we are making 50-60 cups in a
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| extract the chemical compounds that are
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| | restaurant like the Spice Market," said
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| most effective from soup ingredients,
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| | the chef.
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