Traditional Tom Yum Goong

Tom Yum Goong is the most famous of all Thai soup recipes. If you want authentic Tom Yum soup, this recipe is the one! Featuring all four of the famous Thai spices - salty, sour, sweet and spicy - this Tom Yum Goong recipe provides a pungent and zesty feast of flavors with every slurp. An excellent remedy for a cold or flu bug, this spicy Thai soup will instantly clear your sinuses and warm you up. It will also enhance your energy and your mood. ENJOY!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Makes 2-3 large bowls OR 4+ smaller appetizer-size bowls of soup
• 6 cups good-quality chicken stock
• 4 kaffir lime leaves (can be purchased frozen at most Asian food stores)
• 2 stalks minced lemongrass (see below), OR 3 Tbsp. frozen store-bought prepared lemongrass
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili OR cayenne pepper
• generous handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce (or more to taste)
• 8-12 medium to large shrimp, fresh or frozen, shells removed
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro
• handful of fresh basil
• optional: other vegetables of your choice, such as broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and/or bok choy
• optional: 1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk (often added in Thailand), OR coconut milk - this makes for a richer flavor
• optional: 1-2 tsp. brown sugar

Preparation:

For complete instructions on how to buy and cook with lemongrass, see my: All About Lemongrass: How to Buy, Prepare, and Cook with Lemongrass.

1. Place stock in a large pot over high heat. Add the minced lemongrass (and leftover lemongrass stalks, if using fresh), plus kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil.
2. When soup reaches a bubbling boil, turn heat down to medium. Add the garlic, chili, mushrooms, lime juice, and fish sauce. Stir well. Partially cover with a lid and simmer 3 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp, gently stirring them in. Also add other vegetables, if using. Simmer until shrimp are pink and plump (2-3 minutes).
4. Remove soup from heat and do a taste-test, looking for a balance of salty, sour, and spicy. If the soup needs more salt, add 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce. If it's too sour, add 1-2 tsp. brown sugar. If too spicy (Tom Yum is meant to be spicy!), add a little coconut milk. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice (Note that the saltiness of your soup will depend on how salty your stock was to start with).
5. As a final touch, add a dollop of two of Thai Nam Prik Pao chili sauce, either store-bought or the homemade version: Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce Recipe. (The chili sauce/paste will turn the soup a little red in color, but will bring the flavor up to a whole new level.) It can also be served on the side in small dishes, so each person can add as much as they prefer.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of fresh coriander and basil. ENJOY!

For a thicker, slightly richer version of this soup, see my popular Tom Yum Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe.

For more about the health benefits of Tom Yum soup, see: Tom Yum Soup Under Study.

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