A bowl of Tom Yum does not behave like a stew with random add‑ons; it acts more like a mapped‑out flavor circuit in which every herb is assigned to a specific sensory channel. In this Thai staple, sourness, heat, saltiness, umami and a surprising cool lift are all engineered to fire in the same mouthful.On paper it looks chaotic: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, bird’s‑eye chili, lime juice...More