Tom Yum Soup

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 13 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Tom yum is a Thai soup with shrimp and a broth that features salty, sour, sweet, and spicy flavors. “Tom” translates to “boiled” and “yum” translates to “medley,” which refers to the soup’s dressing. Yes, this soup has a dressing. Thai salads are called yum, and yum vinaigrette is made up of fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and chilies. Add boiling hot broth to it and you’ve got tom yum, or “salad soup.”

Ingredients

1 stalk lemongrass
5 fresh makrut lime leaves (each leaf looks like 2)
1 quart unsalted chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces oyster mushrooms
2 medium limes
8 ounces uncooked peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp
2 tablespoons nam prik pao paste (also known as chile jam)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 fresh Thai or birds-eye chiles
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

Trim off about 1/2 inch from the root end of 1 lemongrass stalk and 2/3 off the top. Peel off and discard the tough outer leaves until you reach the smooth and pale inner leaves. Cut this portion into 1-inch lengths and smash the pieces with a heavy object until they split. Use the heavy object to also bruise 5 fresh makrut lime leaves, then tear each leaf into about 8 pieces.
Place the lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, and 1 quart unsalted chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth in a medium pot or large saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. The lemongrass and lime leaves will be very fragrant. Meanwhile, cut 8 ounces oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and juice 2 limes until you have 1/4 cup juice.
Remove and the discard the lemongrass and lime leaves. Add the mushrooms, 8 ounces peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp, 2 tablespoons nam prik pao paste, and 2 tablespoons fish sauce. Simmer until the shrimp turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
Trim the stems from 3 Thai chiles. Add the chiles and lime juice to the pot and stir to combine. Sprinkle 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves on top just before serving. Warn your guests the chilies are there to add flavor and spice, and that they probably don’t want to eat the chilies whole (or remove them before serving).