Tom Yum Soup (Best and Authentic!)
This Tom Yum soup recipe is one of my all-time favorites to make at home! It’s the perfect mix of spicy, sour, and aromatic flavors from lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies. Add in some shrimp and mushrooms, and you’ve got a comforting, flavorful bowl of Thai goodness that’s sure to hit the spot!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 cups water (reduced to 2 1/2 cups)
- 12 oz. (350g) shrimp (head-on and shell on or tiger prawn, head and shells peeled and deveined)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (cut into 3-inch (7cm) strips, pounded with a cleaver)
- 3 slices galangal
- 6 kaffir lime leave ( bruised)
- 6 Thai chilies (bird's eye chilies, pounded )
- 6 fresh oyster mushrooms (cut into pieces)
- 2 tablespoons nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons nam prik pao oil
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- cilantro leaves, (for garnishing, optional )
Instructions
- 1
In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil. Add the shrimp heads and shells to make shrimp stock. Boil until the water turns slightly orange. Press the shrimp heads with a spatula to extract the juice from the heads. Simmer and let the stock reduce to 2 1/2 cups. Drain the shrimp stock and discard the shrimp heads and shells.
- 2
Turn the heat to high and add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bird’s eye chilies, mushroom, nam prik pao, and nam prik pao oil to the shrimp stock.
- 3
Bring it to a rolling boil before adding in the shrimp and fish sauce. Boil until the shrimp is cooked, then add the lime juice.
- 4
Serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves (optional).