Tom Yum, or tom yam as it is sometimes written in English, is one of Thailand’s most famous dishes.
The name “tom” refers to the prawns used in this soup, while “yum” means “delicious”.
This dish was created by combining two other traditional Thai soups – tom (prawn) and kari (chili).
The original version of this soup consists of five basic ingredients: fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind juice, coconut milk, and dried shrimp paste.
However, it has been modified over time adding more spices such as lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh herbs like coriander.
In addition, some restaurants will add chicken instead of shrimp, which makes it even spicier.
Some people also prefer to use green papaya rather than red ones, but if you can’t find any, then just leave out the seeds from the fruit before using them.
For those who love spicy foods, I have prepared a super easy and delicious way to make Tom Yum for your family! Here is how to cook it at home, including all the essential ingredients and instructions on how to prepare it.
Introduction To Tom Yum
One of my favorite things about cooking is being able to try new recipes.
When I first started learning to cook, I didn’t know what “spicy” meant.
At least not until I tried making something called hot chocolate with cinnamon sticks.
That experience taught me that there are different levels of spice, so when I am creating an authentic Thai dish that includes chilies, I always start off slow and increase the heat slowly.
When I made my next experiment, I added ginger, garlic, onions, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves into a pot of water.
Then, I cooked everything down until it got thickened enough for me to eat.
After trying it, I realized that I had accidentally recreated the flavor profile of the classic Thai soup called Tom Yam.
So now that we understand the basics of the dish, let’s learn how to make this incredible Thai soup.
Tom Yum Ingredients
Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is the key ingredient in Tom Yum.
Although it sounds strange, this salty liquid comes from salting fermented anchovies.
You might be surprised to hear that fish sauce contains no salt whatsoever, but its unique flavors give the dish its distinct taste.
Palm Sugar: Palm sugar is also known as jaggery because of its sweet-and-sour taste.
It takes longer to dissolve than regular granulated white sugar, which is why you want to keep it somewhere warm.
If you do need to cool it down quickly, stick it in a bowl filled with ice cubes.
Tamarind Juice: Tamarind juice is another important component of Tom Yum.
It has a very distinctive tartness from the acidity of its pulp and seeds.
Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is another crucial element in this dish.
Not only does it provide the creaminess needed to balance out the dish’s spice, but it also gives the broth its rich aroma.
Dried Shrimp Paste: Dried shrimp paste is ground up dried shrimp.
It is similar to shrimp powder, except that it adds a lot more texture and flavor to the final dish.
Sugar Syrup: Sugar syrup is a type of sweetener made from brown sugar and water.
It helps to thicken the soup and acts as a natural preservative.
Lemongrass: Lemongrass is one of the most common aromatics found throughout Southeast Asian cuisine.
It is often combined with other spices to create flavorful curries.
Galangal: Galangal is also known as ginger root.
Its roots have a slightly bitter flavor, which complements the sweetness of the other ingredients.
Chilies: Chilies are available in many shapes and sizes, depending on where they come from.
They vary greatly in their heat level, so it is best to start off with small amounts and gradually work up to larger ones.
Kaffir Lime Leaves: Kaffir limes are smaller than standard limes and have a sweeter flavor.
Their leaves are less acidic and therefore easier to digest.
Shallots: Shallots are also known as onion sprouts.
They grow long thin stalks and look almost exactly like a scallion.
They have a milder flavor than onions, but they still pack quite a punch.
How To Make Tom Yum
To make your own homemade version of Tom Yum, simply combine these 5 ingredients together in a large stockpot.
Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3/4 cup of coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of dried shrimp paste, 1 teaspoon of tamarind juice, and 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer the whole thing for 15 minutes.
Take care not to overcook the vegetables, since they should remain crunchy.
Remove the lid once the soup starts boiling again.
Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finally, take the pan off the stove and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
If you don’t feel like making the entire batch yourself, here are some quick and easy ways to get a good amount of Tom Yum:
Use canned coconut milk: Simply open the can and scoop out half the contents.
Mix the remaining ingredients together and follow the rest of the directions above.
Mix equal parts of dry and wet seasonings: To save time, mix up a big batch of dry seasoning packets and store them in separate containers.
Use the same ratio of each packet to ensure that you end up with the correct amount of each spice.
Add a splash of vinegar: Adding a little bit of apple cider vinegar to the stock can help cut through the richness of the coconut milk.
Tom Yum Variations
There are plenty of variations of Tom Yum out there.
For instance, some restaurants replace the shrimp with crab meat, whereas others may add beef or pork.
Other options include replacing the fish sauce with oyster sauce, soy sauce, or hoisin sauce.
Some people choose to omit the shallots entirely, while others decide to substitute it with a few cloves of minced garlic.
And finally, some people skip the sugar altogether, opting instead to use honey or agave nectar.
Here are some additional versions of Tom Yum that you might consider trying:
Tom Yum with Chicken: Replace the shrimp with boneless skinless chicken breast and eliminate the coconut milk.
Tom Yum with Vegetables: In place of the shrimp, add carrots, potatoes, and zucchini.
Tom Yum with Tofu: Instead of shrimp, use firm tofu.
Tom Yum with Pork: Swap out the shrimp for thinly sliced pieces of lean pork belly.
Tom Yum with Beef: Try substituting the shrimp with ribeye steak.
Tom Yum with Eggplant: Prepare eggplants according to normal methods, but instead of chopping them up to remove the flesh, slice them lengthwise and grill them until tender. Serve the slices topped with chopped tomatoes and basil.
Tom Yum with Noodles: Prepare rice noodles following normal instructions, but instead of boiling them, drain them and toss them with a little oil and lemon juice. Combine them with shredded cabbage and chopped tomato, and serve with additional fish sauce and chili flakes.
Tom Yum with Fresh Herbs: Chop up some mint and basil leaves, along with a handful of cilantro stems. Stir them into the finished soup, garnish with a sprinkle of finely diced cucumber, and top with a squeeze of lime juice.
Tom Yum Tips
Before starting, make sure that the pot you plan to use is deep enough to hold the total volume of the ingredients without overflowing.
Keep in mind that the broth needs to be boiled for 20 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
Once the broth boils, lower the heat and allow it to simmer for another 10 minutes.
After you put the ingredients into the pot, stir every few minutes to prevent sticking.
Also, avoid letting the ingredients burn.
If the mixture gets too dark, turn down the heat immediately.
Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, strain the resulting broth and discard the solids.
Pour the strained broth back into the pot and reheat it gently.
You will probably notice that the ingredients will become soggy after sitting for a while.
Don’t worry, though, because that happens automatically during the cooling process.
As soon as the soup reaches room temperature, transfer it to storage containers and refrigerate it overnight.
Finally, remember that the longer you wait, the better it tastes.
So go ahead and dig in!
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned how to make this Thai soup, you’re ready to get creative and explore the endless possibilities of Tom Yum.
There really aren’t any limits to what you can do with this versatile dish.
Just think of what else you could pair it with.
Maybe sautéed spinach?
Or maybe you’d like to add a pinch of curry powder?
Whatever combination strikes your fancy is totally fine.
Just remember that the secret to
Equipment
- The pot
Ingredients
- 12 oz. shrimp
- 2 1/2 cups shrimp stock
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 3 slices galangal
- 6 kaffir lime leaves bruised
- 6 bird’s eyes chilies pounded
- 6 fresh oyster mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons nam prik pao
- 2 tablespoons nam prik pao oil
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Keep the shrimp’s tails on and remove the shell and head. Keep the shrimp’s head and shell. Shrimp are deveined and set aside.
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a kettle. To create shrimp stock, include the shell and head of the shrimp. Boil the water until it begins to faintly turn orange. To release the fluid from the shrimp heads, press them with a spatula. Allow the stock to simmer and reduce to 2 1/2 cups. Remove the shrimp heads and shells from the stock and discard them.
- To the shrimp stock, add the nam prik pao and nam prik pao oil, along with the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bird’s eye chilies, mushroom, and nam prik pao. Make it boil.
- Add the fish sauce and shrimp. Add the lime juice last (if you add lime juice too early, the soup might turn bitter). When the shrimp are cooked, serve them up and top with cilantro leaves. Serve right away.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.