TOM YUM SOUP

WHAT IS TOM YUM SOUP?

Tom Yum Goong is one of the most well-known Thai recipes, and I have the BEST and most authentic Tom Yum recipe for you. Not to mention how easy it is to make.

Goong means “shrimp” in Thai, as the soup is usually made with shrimp. You can also make it with seafood such as squid or a combination of different seafood.

COOK'S TIPS

• The best Tom Yum calls for shrimp stock, which you can make by boiling the shrimp heads with water. A good stock guarantees the great taste of Tom Yum. However, you can also make it with water or canned chicken stock.
• Another secret is the use of nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste). You can’t do without the aromatics: galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bird’s eye chilies.
• To make Bangkok-style Tom Yum which is creamier and whiter in color, add a few tablespoons of evaporated milk to the soup.

TOM YUM SOUP RECIPE

• PREP TIME
  15 minutes
• COOK TIME
  10 minutes
• TOTAL TIME
  25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups shrimp stock, best, canned chicken stock, or water
• 10-12 shrimp or 8 oz, head-on and shell-on but chop the eyes part off, devein if you like
• 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 6 bird's eyes chilies, pounded
• 3 slices galangal
• 6 kaffir lime leaves (bruised)
• 2 tablespoons nam prik pao, Thai roasted chili paste
• 2 tablespoons nam prik pao oil
• 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3-inch strips, pounded with a cleaver
• 6 canned straw mushrooms / fresh oyster mushrooms / fresh white button mushrooms

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil. Then add a big handful of shrimp/prawn heads. Boil the shrimp head until the water turns slightly orange in color. Press the shrimp heads with spatula to extract the "goodies" from their heads. Let the stock reduce to slightly more than 2 1/2 cups. Drain the shrimp stock and discard the shrimp heads.
2. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bird's eye chilies, mushrooms, nam prik bao to the shrimp stock and bring it to boil. Add in the shrimp and fish sauce. Lastly, add the lime juice (if you add lime juice too early, the soup might turn bitter). Boil until the shrimps are cooked, dish out and serve hot.

NOTES

You can use also chicken, a combination of chicken plus shrimp, or seafood combination (shrimp, squid, scallops, green-lipped mussels) for tom yum soup. It's really up to you, but the most popular tom yum is tom yum goong.

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