Dive into the heart of Thai cuisine with this simple yet vibrant Tom Yum Soup recipe. Whether you opt for fresh whole prawns or the convenience of peeled frozen ones, this soup brings the essence of Thailand to your kitchen. Tom Yum is renowned for its health benefits and low calorie count, making it not just a culinary delight but a nourishing choice as well.
Gather your ingredients and prepare to be amazed by the depth of flavor you can achieve with this straightforward recipe. It’s a journey of taste that promises to be as rewarding as it is delicious.
How to Prepare Tom Yum Soup
- Prawn Prep: Begin by peeling the prawns. Keep the heads and shells for the broth but set the meat aside for later.
- Flavor Base: Use a meat mallet or a heavy object to lightly crush the garlic, chilli, and lemongrass. This helps release their flavors. Add these to your pot along with the prawn heads and shells.
- Aromatic Infusion: Tear the kaffir lime leaves roughly by hand to unlock their aroma and add them to the pot. Slice the galangal and include it as well, along with chicken stock and water.
- Broth Simmering: Bring the pot to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to medium, and let it simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with all the aromatic ingredients.
- Strain and Return: After simmering, strain the broth to remove the solids, then pour the clear broth back into the pot and maintain it at a low heat.
- Vegetable Addition: Add the onions and mushrooms to the broth. Allow them to simmer for 3 minutes before adding the tomato wedges and simmering for an additional minute.
- Prawn Cooking: Introduce the prawn meat to the soup and simmer for 2 minutes, or just until the prawns are cooked through.
- Final Seasoning: Stir in the sugar and fish sauce and let simmer for a minute. Then, add lime juice and adjust the seasoning by balancing the sweet, salty, and sour flavors to your liking.
- Serve Hot: Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh coriander and chilli for that extra kick.
For the Creamy Tom Yum version, include Thai Chili Paste and evaporated milk when you add the sugar, then proceed as usual. To transform it into Tom Kha, simply use coconut milk in place of evaporated milk.
Tom Yum Soup
Ingredients
- 300 g whole prawns
BROTH
- 3 cup water
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1.5 cm piece of galangal
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 Thai or birdseye chillies
- 3 garlic cloves
SOUP ADD INS
- 120 g / 4oz oyster mushrooms
- 1 roma tomato
- 1/2 white onion
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- Coriander/cilantro
CREAMY TOM YUM OPTION
- 1 1/2 tbsp Thai roasted chili sauce
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
Instructions
- Start with Prawns: First, peel your prawns, setting aside the heads and shells for the broth, and keeping the meat for later use.
- Bash for Flavor: Take the garlic, chili, and lemongrass, and give them a good bash to open them up and release their flavors. Add these to your pot along with the reserved prawn heads and shells.
- Leaf and Galangal Prep: Manually tear the kaffir lime leaves to release their scent and add to your mixture. Slice the galangal into pieces, then throw them into the pot along with your chicken stock and water.
- Simmer the Broth: Bring your concoction to a boil, then cover, lower the heat to medium, and let everything simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Clean the Broth: Strain the mixture to remove all solids, returning the now clear and flavorful broth to the pot over a gentle heat.
- Add Veggies: Introduce onions and mushrooms to the broth, letting them cook for 3 minutes. Follow with tomato wedges, simmering everything for another minute.
- Prawn Time: Add the prawn meat to the soup, cooking for 2 minutes until they are perfectly done.
- Seasoning Adjustments: Mix in the sugar and fish sauce, simmering for a minute. Finish by stirring in lime juice and adjusting the seasoning to get the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and sour flavors to your liking.
- Garnish and Serve: Dish up the soup into bowls, garnishing each with a sprinkle of fresh coriander and chilli slices for an added zing.
- Make it Creamy: Simply add Thai Chili Paste and evaporated milk along with the sugar, then continue with the recipe as directed. For a Tom Kha version, replace the evaporated milk with coconut milk for a different but equally delicious experience.
How to Store Tom Yum Soup
Tom Yum Soup is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Ensure it’s cooled to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze the soup in a suitable freezer container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently, adding a little water if the soup seems too thick.
