Thai•comfort

Dry Tom Yum Seafood ต้มยำทะเลแห้ง

Hot Thai Kitchen recipe - Pan-Asian/Thai

Ingredients

350 g mixed seafood of your choice (I use shrimp, scallops, and squid, see note)
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, very thinly sliced
5 thin slices galangal, finely julienned
5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into chunks
1 large head shallot, julienned
3-5 Thai chilies, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
2 tbsp water or stock
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp finely chopped palm sugar or 1 Tbsp Thai chili paste (see note)
100 g shimeji, oyster or straw mushrooms
1 cup cherry tomato halves
2 tbsp lime juice
A handful chopped cilantro
Check out this video for how to clean and prep a whole squid.
Using Thai chili paste will make a dish that has a more robust flavour, while using palm sugar will give you a lighter, more refreshing dish. Either is delicious. I prefer to use palm sugar because I want the subtle, sweet flavours of the scallops to come through. But if you're looking to replicate the flavour or tom yum goong soup that usually has chili paste, then I would add it.

1
Pre-cook the seafood first by sauteing or searing in the wok with a little oil just until done, then remove from wok and set aside. Tips: Cook each type of seafood separately. If using scallops, cook only until medium doneness rather than well-done for best texture. If using squid, cook them last as they can release a lot of water when cooked, And be careful not to overcook squid; they should take no more than 1 minute.
2
In the same wok you cooked the seafood, add a little extra oil, then add lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chilies and shallots. Saute over medium heat for about 1 minute.
3
Deglaze with a splash of water, then add fish sauce and palm sugar or chili paste. Stir briefly to dissolve the sugar.
4
Turn heat to high, then add mushrooms and toss briefly.
5
Add the cooked seafood back in the pan along with tomatoes and toss just to mix then turn off the heat.
6
Add lime juice and cilantro, and stir to mix.
7
Serve with jasmine rice, enjoy!