How to Make Tom Yum Goong

Tom Yum is probably the most famous of Thai soups and is popular not only in Thailand but in Thai restaurants worldwide. It is a clear, sour soup flavored with fragrant lemon grass, fresh galangal root and kefir lime leaf. This potent herbal mixture is well known for its medicinal properties.

Tom Yum Goong is the most well-known variety of Tom Yum and makes use of shrimp (in Thai: goong or kung) as the main focus of the dish but you may also use firm white-flesh fisher or chicken.


Ingredients : Serve 2-3 people

1. Clear broth or water 3 cups
2. Shelled prawns, 10-12 raw 
3. Lemongrass, 2-3 stalks cut in pieces
4. Kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole leaves
5. Galangal root, rough cut in 4-5 pieces
6. Straw mushrooms, 6-8 cut halved
7. Small chilies, 2-3 whole or pounded
8. Fish sauce 4 tablespoons
9. Lime juice 4 tablespoons

Optional ingredients :

1. Coconut milk 1 cup
2. Cherry tomatoes, 3-4 halved
3. Holy basil, 4-5 leaves
4. Thai chili paste (Nam-prik-proa in Thai) 1-2 tablespoons

Method :

1. Boil broth or water with all cut lemongrass, whole kefir leave, cut galangal roots and pounded chilies by medium-high heat.
2. Once the water is boiling, add prawns, halved mushroom, cherry tomatoes (optional). Until shrimps turn orange (cooked through).
3. Turn off the heat, add fish sauce and lime juice.

Note :

• IF you want to add coconut milk (optional), add it in step 2 boil altogether.
• IF you want to holy basil leaves, add leaves when served in a bowl to preserve its spicy taste and aroma scent.
• IF you want to add Nam-prik proa chili sweet paste, add 1 tablespoon when served in a bowl.

Cooking Tips :

• All herbs: lemongrass, galangal root and chili are quite spicy, you can adjust the taste by yourself
• Do not boil prawns too long, cook as instructed to add prawns when all ingredients boiling.
• Add lime juice as the final step after you turn off the heat to preserve its sour taste and scent.
• Rather than prawns, you may like to add squid, fish, shells etc. to make seafood tom yum.