Tom Yum Soup Recipe (Thai Soup Recipe)
Tom Yum Soup aka Thai hot and sour soup, is a light, spicy and boldly flavored soup made with tender shrimp in a clear broth infused with lemongrass and Thai chili paste.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 178kcal
Ingredients
- 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken broth or shrimp or seafood stock
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, outer layers removed, bruised and cut into thirds. (see notes)
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, sliced
- 2 Thai red chiles (whole or sliced) (see notes)
- 6 tablespoons fish sauce
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 - 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 (15-ounces) can straw mushrooms
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails on or off
- A handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
Infuse the Broth / Making Thai Broth
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth or shrimp or seafood stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal or ginger and fresh chilies. Lower the heat and simmer covered, for about 20 minutes.
To Make the Soup
- Uncover the pot and stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and red curry paste into the broth. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste the soup and add additional curry paste for extra spiciness, additional fish sauce if you want the soup saltier, additional sugar if its a bit too sour for your taste or extra lime juice if you feel you need tartness.
- Since there's only a few pieces of lemongrass and a few kaffir lime leaves, I don't usually strain the broth but simply pick the lemongrass and leaves with kitchen tongs. It's one less step and less dishes to clean! If preferred, strain the broth and return it to the pot.
- Stir in the mushrooms and shrimp and simmer until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 3-6 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, and add the fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve with additional fresh chiles and cilantro (optional)
If Making Broth with Whole Shrimp (Heads-on and Shells-on)
- Peel the shrimp or prawns. Place the heads and shells into a large pot. Reserve the meat. Add 7 cups of chicken broth + 1 cup of water. Add the lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal or ginger and fresh chilies. Bring to a boil and then, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 - 12 minutes. Drain the broth and discard the solids. Return the broth to the pot and follow the rest of the recipe.
Video
Notes
- Lemongrass: Substitute 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass with 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste. Prep the lemongrass by cutting off the bottom of the stalks and trimming about an inch from the very top (usually that part is a bit dry). Peel off the dry outer layers until you get to the whitish green softer layer. Lightly smash the stalks with the side of the knife (like crushing garlic) to bruise them or use a mallet then, cut each stalk into thirds. When the soup is done, remove the lemongrass stalks. Unless they are processed (in a food processor) they are tough and not edible.
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: 2 Kaffir lime leaves can be substitute with 1/4 teaspoon lime or lemon zest. For this soup I use 1/2 teaspoon of zest total. Because the soup is made with lemongrass and cilantro, you can skip this ingredient altogether. I usually bruise the leaves by trying to crinkle them in my hand so it releases its aroma. Remove the leaves before serving.
- Galangal: Substitute with fresh ginger and a sprinkle or grind or ground black pepper. You don't need to peel galangal or the ginger.
- Fresh Chiles: When using fresh Thai chiles, I add them whole so I can control the level of spiciness. You can skip them if not available.
- Fish Sauce: This stinky ingredient is a must to make this recipe. Fish sauce adds umami and saltiness to the soup. Although nothing can compare with the taste this ingredient adds to the soup, in a pinch, soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used. Please note that the soup won't taste like authentic Tom Yum.
- Shrimp: You can use medium shrimp (36/40 count), large shrimp (31/35 count) or extra large (26/30 count). Prawns can also be used to make this soup.
Nutrition
Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 4737mg | Potassium: 700mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 76.9mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 4.4mg