Thai · Free recipe
Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)
Thailand's iconic hot and sour soup, bursting with lemongrass, galangal, and lime, packed with plump shrimp and mushrooms. Bracingly aromatic, tangy, and spicy in every spoonful.
Step 1
Peel the shrimp and keep the shells. Refrigerate the shrimp meat while you build the broth.
Step 2
Set a medium pot over medium-high heat and add the reserved shrimp shells. Toast them, stirring, for about 2 minutes until they turn pink and smell fragrant.
Step 3
Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to draw out the shrimp flavor, then scoop out and discard the shells with a slotted spoon.
Step 4
Add the lemongrass, galangal slices, and torn kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes so the broth becomes deeply aromatic.
Step 5
Add the mushrooms and tomato wedges. Simmer for 3 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
Step 6
Stir in the Thai chili paste until it dissolves into the broth, giving it a warm orange color.
Step 7
Add the crushed chilies and the shrimp. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and curl; do not overcook or they get rubbery.
Step 8
Turn off the heat. This is important, because boiling after adding lime juice makes it bitter.
Step 9
Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar.
Step 10
Taste the broth. It should be sour first, then salty, then spicy, with a hint of sweetness. Add more lime for sourness, fish sauce for salt, or chili paste for depth.
Step 11
Remove the tough lemongrass and galangal pieces if you like, or leave them in as aromatics that are not eaten.
Step 12
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve piping hot.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Always add lime juice off the heat to keep the flavor fresh, not bitter.
- Lemongrass and galangal flavor the broth but are not meant to be chewed.
- Nam prik pao chili paste gives the signature roasted depth.
