This Thai Soup Has Made It To UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List

Several food-related additions were made to UNESCO's Representative List Of Intangible Cultural Heritage recently. One of them was the inscription of Thailand's Tomyum Kung, a traditional prawn soup. UNESCO has noted that the delicacy "combines many tastes, including sweet, sour, savoury, spicy, creamy and slightly bitter." It has further highlighted the significance of this dish in the context of the vibrant heritage of Thai cuisine, explaining that "It embodies the culinary wisdom of the Buddhist riverside communities in the Central Plains of Thailand and their traditional knowledge of the environment and medicinal herbs."

How To Make Tom Yum Kung?

The prawns are first boiled with herbs, including lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal root, chillies, etc. to make a flavourful broth. Later, the prawns are added to the pot and cooked well along with the other ingredients. Local condiments, including fish sauce, are used to season the soup. The sweet-and-sour taste can be further enhanced through a balanced addition of lime juice and sugar.

What Is The List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage?

As per UNESCO, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity "is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance." There are various criteria for filing a nomination to the list. Countries submit the same to UNESCO after which an Intergovernmental Committee meets to evaluate the proposals on an annual basis.

Also Read: Italian Cuisine Could Soon Get UNESCO World Heritage Tag By December 2025

Other Recent Additions To UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List:

Here are some other heritage elements inscribed on the list in 2024:

• Sake-making with koji mold (Japan)
• Asturian cider culture (Spain)
• Breakfast culture in Malaysia
• Mulgi Puder (Estonia)
• Skills related to Attieke production (Cote d'Ivoire)
• Making of traditional Artisan Minas Cheese (Brazil)
• Arabic coffee (United Arab Emirates - Oman - Qatar - Saudi Arabia - Jordan)

In the past, several other food items and practices associated with them have been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List Of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Click here to explore some of them.