Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Soup)
Submitted by crestwoodscooter
Authentic Thai Tom Yum Goong: a fragrant hot-and-sour shrimp soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, fresh chilies, fish sauce, and straw mushrooms. The classic Bangkok street-food soup made at home.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minTom Yum Goong is the Thai soup that introduced the world to lemongrass and galangal, and it remains one of the most refreshing and complex broths in any cuisine. The name translates as boiling sour soup with shrimp, and that’s exactly what you get: a clear, electric-tasting broth that hits hot, sour, salty, and savory in the same spoonful.
The shrimp shells and heads are the secret. Don’t toss them. They make the foundation of an intensely shrimp-flavored stock that no chicken broth can replicate. Lemongrass and galangal (often labeled Siamese or Thai ginger) get bruised and steeped to release their citrusy, piney aromatics. Kaffir lime leaves shred into the pot for that unmistakable Thai perfume.
The seasoning gets adjusted only at the very end. A glug of nam pla (fish sauce), fresh lemon and lime juice, and you taste, taste, taste, until that hot-sour-salty triangle balances perfectly.
Pro Tips
- Don’t substitute regular ginger for galangal. They taste completely different and the soup loses its signature character.
- Bruise (don’t slice) the lemongrass with the back of a knife. Bruising releases the oils; slicing just makes pieces.
- Strain the stock thoroughly. The aromatics are tough and inedible if left in the bowl.
- Add the shrimp only in the last 2 to 3 minutes. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery, and they finish quickly in hot stock.
- Add the lime juice off the heat. Boiling lime juice flattens its bright character.
Variations
- Make Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (the creamy version) by stirring in ½ cup of coconut milk at the end with the lime.
- Add a teaspoon of nam prik pao (Thai chili jam) for deeper, smokier heat.
- Use scallops, squid, or chunks of firm white fish in place of (or alongside) the shrimp.
Ingredients
Directions
Shell and devein shrimp, reserving heads and shells.
Place shells and heads in a large saucepan.
Add water, lemongrass and Siamese ginger.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound two of the chilies with the coriander roots and add to pan.
Add the salt and five of the lime leaves, shredded into little pieces.
Bring the soup to a boil and simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes.
Strain stock into a clean pan.
Don’t panic if it doesn’t taste wonderful at this point because the seasoning adjustments will make a big difference.
A few minutes before serving, bring the stock to a boil, add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the nam pla, lemon and lime juices and the straw mushrooms.
Adjust seasoning. The flavor should be tangy.
Serve in bowls garnished with strips of remaining chili, shredded lime leaf and coriander leaves.
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