- Spicy Thai Soup with Shrimp
Recipe for tom yum goong
I have really gone into Thai mode and am cooking Thai food like crazy! After inviting my dad for another Thai street food classic, namely homemade Pad Krapow, I was ready for something EVEN spicier. Tom Yum Goong – pronounced [dóm-jam-gung] – is probably the spiciest Thai soup I can think of, and Tom Yum in general is just one of the most popular types of Thai soups out there – with Tom Yum Goong being the variant most people are likely familiar with. Tom Yum is a term for a variety of soups in Thai cuisine, while Goong means “shrimp.” You may also come across soups like Tom Yum Gai (soup with chicken) and Tom Yum Pla (soup with fish). The last word simply describes the protein used. Pla is pronounced [blah], in case you’re curious 🙂 The last time I tasted Tom Yum Goong was back in 2017 when I ordered it at a restaurant in Bangkok. I was served a whole pot of the spicy soup, and the pot was placed in the middle of the table on top of a glass burner. It was incredibly cozy and exotic! So, it was like a trip down memory lane when I decided to recreate the soup in my own kitchen. Just like the recipe for classic Pad Thai, this recipe also includes tamarind juice. You CAN omit it if you don’t have access to an Asian supermarket. The flavor won’t be 100% authentic, but it certainly won’t ruin the dish!If you need new inspiration in your daily life, try a meal kit from our sponsor Hello Fresh. Get 1199 DKK off the first 5 meal kits by clicking this link or using the discount code: “gastrofun1199”:
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Chef'S Knife
- Rolling Pin
- Pot
Ingredients
- 400 gram Tiger prawns thawed - alternatively regular shrimp
- 2 ribs lemongrass
- 1 pcs. Onion small
- 100 gram Mushroom
- 1 pcs. Tomato medium
- 6 gram Ginger finely chopped
- 2 pcs. Chili large
- 5 pcs. Kaffir lime leaves
- 18 gram Fish Sauce
- 15 gram Tamarind juice - optional
- 10 gram Chili Paste tom yum chili paste
- 2 pcs. Chili large and fresh
- 1 l Water
- 1 pcs. Lime juice from this
Instructions
- Clean and prepare the thawed shrimp by removing the shells, except for the tail, and making an approximately 1-1½ centimeter deep cut along the back to remove the black vein.
- Rinse the lemongrass, pound them with a rolling pin on the cutting board, and then cut them in half.
- Peel the onion and cut it into narrow wedges.
- Clean the mushrooms of any soil and cut them into quarters.
- Rinse the tomato and cut it into narrow wedges.
- Cut the chilies diagonally into thin strips.
- Pour the water into a pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves, fish sauce, tamarind juice, chili, chili paste, tomato, and lime juice to the boiling water.
- Cover the pot and let the soup boil for a while to allow all the flavors to develop.
- Then add the onion and mushrooms.
- Let the soup continue to boil for a few more minutes.
- Now add the shrimp and let them boil with the soup for a maximum of 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp just turn reddish. If the tiger shrimp boil for too long, they become very dull and rubbery to chew.
- Taste and optionally adjust with more chili paste, fish sauce, and lime juice.
- The taste should be on the sour and especially SPICY side 😉
- Serve the steaming hot soup immediately and optionally sprinkle a bit of fresh, chopped Thai basil and/or cilantro on top.
Notes
Feel free to serve the soup with jasmine rice.
You can also add a can of coconut milk to the soup if you want to make it extra smooth and creamy. Just halve the amount of water. It tastes really lovely but is not part of the traditional recipe.
You can also add a can of coconut milk to the soup if you want to make it extra smooth and creamy. Just halve the amount of water. It tastes really lovely but is not part of the traditional recipe.