Tom Yum Thai Spicy Soup (Print Version)

Aromatic Thai-style soup featuring lemongrass, lime, and fresh herbs in a perfectly balanced sour-spicy broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
04 - 3 slices galangal or ginger
05 - 2 Thai bird's eye chiles, sliced

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

06 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Protein

10 - 10 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined or tofu

→ Seasonings and Finish

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon chili paste, optional
15 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium pot, bring stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chiles, garlic, and onion. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse flavors.
02 - Add mushrooms and tomatoes to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
03 - Add shrimp or tofu and simmer just until shrimp turn pink and cook through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste if using. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt, sourness, and heat as desired.
05 - Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The broth strikes that perfect balance between sour, spicy, salty, and savory that makes you close your eyes with each spoonful.
  • Its one of those rare restaurant-quality dishes where the home version actually tastes better because you control the freshness of herbs and level of heat.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup aggressively after adding the aromatics or you'll lose the delicate volatile compounds that give Tom Yum its signature fragrance.
  • The soup actually tastes even better the next day, but add fresh herbs, lime juice, and protein just before serving the leftovers.
03 -
  • When shopping for lemongrass, look for stalks that feel heavy for their size and have a fragrant smell when you scratch the surface slightly.
  • To achieve that professional restaurant flavor depth, don't skip the nam prik pao (Thai chili paste) which adds a subtle smokiness that ties all the elements together.
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