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Tom yum soup in a big bowl from above.
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5 from 2 votes

thai tom yum soup

Thai tom yum soup is a classic Thai dish and it's easy to make at home.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: tom yum
Servings: 4
Calories: 155kcal
Author: romain | glebekitchen

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • 1 lb 16-20 count peeled shrimp - shells reserved
  • 1 stem lemongrass - cut into 3 inch pieces and crushed
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves
  • 8 oz mushrooms - chopped. Your choice here.
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce - or a bit more to taste
  • 3-4 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice - two good size limes worth
  • 1 tbsp tom yum paste - available at Asian grocery stores
  • 3-4 green onions - cut into pieces
  • cilantro (coriander) leaves, red chilies, and additional limes for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring the water, shrimp shells, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to a lively simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the resulting broth and return to the pot. Discard the shrimp shells, lemongrass and lime leaves.
  • Bring to a simmer and add the tom yum paste, lime juice and fish sauce. Cook for 5 minutes. 
  • Here's how you make sure your shrimp are perfectly cooked. Add the shrimp to the simmering soup. Turn off the heat. Set a timer for 8 minutes. Prep an ice bath (ice and water in a bowl). After 8 minutes remove the shrimp from the soup with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice bath. This stops the cooking. Set them aside. 
  • When you are ready to serve, warm the broth until it just starts  to simmer. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. 
  • Add the shrimp back into the broth. They will warm through before you eat. Serve immediately. Don't let them sit in the hot broth. The second they hit that broth they start cooking again.
  • To serve, divide into 4 bowls and garnish with cilantro, green onions, lime and chilies. The chilies are optional. You have to want it really spicy... 

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 2371mg | Potassium: 347mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 10.9mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2.9mg