Tom Yum is probably the most famous of Thai soups and is very popular not only in Thailand but in Thai restaurants worldwide. It is a clear, sour soup which is flavored with fragrant lemon grass, fresh galangal root and kaffir lime leaf. This potent herbal mixture is well known for its medicinal properties.
Tom Yum Goong or Tom Yum Kung (or Koong) is made with prawns. Goong is the Thai word for prawn and is the most popular variety of the dish. Tom Yum Kai is made with chicken whereas Tom Yum Pla is made with fish. Tom Yum Thale (or Tom Yum Po Taek) is made with a mixture of seafood and Tom Kha (Tom Kha Gai) is a sort of Thai coconut soup.
There are several other types, but whichever variety of the dish you try, the basis of the soup is the same. It gives a delicious and unusual taste of being hot whilst slightly sour. The taste was discovered hundreds of years ago by mixing several ingredients together.
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg shrimps with shell removed except the tail
- 2 liters water
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons curry paste, depending on taste
- 2 tablespoons tamarind juice
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped red chili
- 8 whole Kaffir lime leaves
- 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2.5 teaspoons brown sugar
Direction
1. Using a large heated pan, add the cooking oil. Add the shells of the shrimps together with the shrimp heads and fry in a moderately high heat for about 10~12 minutes or until fragrant and the color changes to dark orange. Mixed one cup of curry paste to a cup of water and add into the pan. Keep boiling until the water level is slightly reduced. It should takes about 5 minutes. Simmer for another 25 minutes after adding the rest of the water.
2. Drain the stock and remove the shrimp heads and shells. Add the turmeric, chili, tamarind and lime leaves into the stock. Bring to the boil for about 2~3 minutes. Add the raw shrimps and cook until the shrimps turn pinkish in about 4~5 minutes.
3. Use a small bowl to combine all the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Mix well and add into the stock with the shrimps. Serve immediately while hot with some sprinkling of the cilantro leaves.