With all of the good food over the holidays I want to eat a little lighter these days and with the cool weather I was thinking that it was the perfect time to make some of my favourite soup, this tom yum goong soup, aka Thai style hot and sour shrimp soup. At it’s base this soup consists of the hot and sour broth along with plenty of shrimp! The heat in the soup comes from chilies and/or chili sauce/paste and the sour comes from fresh lime juice and in typical Thai fashion these are balanced and contrasted by saltiness from fish sauce and sweetness from palm sugar. The soup is further flavoured with shallots, lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal (or ginger) which when combined with the fresh cilantro and green onion garnish makes this soup super fresh and bright! You can of course change things up by adding extras like mushrooms, vegetables, noodles, coconut milk, etc. as desired! This bright thai hot and sour shrimp soup is perfect for chilly grey days!
The original photo:
Tom Yum Goong (Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)
A light, and tasty Thai style hot and sour soup with plump and juicy shrimp!
ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth or shrimp broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 shallots, sliced thinly
- 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thinly
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly
- 2 birds eye chilis, thinly sliced
- 1 inch piece galangal or ginger, sliced thinly
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (optional)
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deviened
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm or brown sugar
- cilantro to taste
- sliced green onions to taste
- chili oil or chili sauce/paste to taste
directions
- Bring the broth, water, shallots, lemongrass, lime leaves, chilis, galangal and shiitake mushrooms to a boil, reduce the heat to reduce to a simmer before adding the shrimp and simmering until cooked, about 3 minutes.
- Season the broth with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, taste testing for a balance of sour, salty, sweet and spicy.
- Serve garnished with cilantro, green onions and chili sauce as desired!
Option: Add 8 ounce rice noodle just before the shrimp and cook until just cooked.
Option: Add coconut milk to the broth to make it nice and creamy!
Option: Add vegetables!
Tom Yum Gai (Thai Hot and Sour Chicken Soup)
Tom Yum Baked Tilapia
Tom Yum Grilled Shrimp
Penang Kung (Prawn Penang Curry)
Spicy Shrimp on Coconut Rice
Shrimp and Roasted Corn Chowder
Pad Thai Soup
Shrimp Creole Soup with Bacon and Cheddar Dumplings
Cajun Sweet Potato Seafood Chowder
Beef Short Rib Borscht
Peter M says
February 12, 2008 at 1:24 amKevin, I’m stuffed from dinner but I’d make room for that warming soup…go nuts with the shrimp – luv it!
Elly says
February 12, 2008 at 1:37 amOooh looks delicious, Kevin! And so comforting.
Vicki says
February 12, 2008 at 2:21 amMaybe it’s a good thing you left out the pepper paste – did you hear about police & firefighters in London closing streets and smashing doors because of a “chemical attack”?
Turns out a Thai restaurant was making nam prik pao…
tigerfish says
February 12, 2008 at 3:28 amIt’s also cold and windy here! I wish for a bowl of soup like this :O
Kalyn says
February 12, 2008 at 4:52 amI LOVE this type of soup. It’s one of my very favorite soups to order in a Thai restaurant here where I love to eat. No noodles for me though, I put rice in the bottom of the bowl and then put the soup on top of it. I don’t know if that’s how it’s eaten in Thailand, but I like it that way.
What a great photo of the soup! Yum!
Dhanggit says
February 12, 2008 at 9:54 amaww this is so gorgeous!! i love tom yum!! i’m sure the taste is different when cooked with real kaffir leaves..i rarely find one here thats why i never succeeded in making the authentic one!! yummmy
Sylvia says
February 12, 2008 at 10:39 amWow ! I missed three entries.One more than delicious than other. This type of soup is one of my favorite and am not a great fan of soup
Kate / Kajal says
February 12, 2008 at 11:51 ami love tom yum soup. i usually like it hot and my soup base look a little more reddish, i guess i just like to use more paste :)The noodles soak up the flavour and end up tasting so divine.
javagirlkt's cookin' says
February 12, 2008 at 8:36 pmThis looks so fresh and warm and comforting all at the same time.
Even though I have to admit that I don’t recognize half of the ingredients in this soup, it looks delicious!
Gigi says
February 12, 2008 at 8:43 pmThe soup looks delicious! The perfect dinner on a cold winter night.
Tania, The Candied Quince says
February 12, 2008 at 9:58 pmThanks for dropping by my blog. I’m glad you did, because now I’ve discovered yours!
I love Tom Yum Goong soup, especially on winter days like today (it’s snowing AGAIN as I type this!). Never tried making it, though. You make it sound very easy and very delicious.
Pixie says
February 13, 2008 at 7:37 amAnother wonderful soup, I can have soup every day of the week. Love them, thanks for sharing.
Skinny says
February 13, 2008 at 7:54 pmI am a huge fan of tom yum soup. I miss being able to get it from the restaurant just a block from my home in Chicago. Getting it in Ghana is a bit more tricky, so thanks for passing on the great looking recipe!
MrsPresley says
February 13, 2008 at 9:47 pmi love this soup! the only thai soup i like more is the tom kha which is the same as this soup but with coconut milk in it too 🙂
Nora B. says
February 13, 2008 at 10:42 pmHey Kevin,
This is one of my fav soups! I would love to have some now…even though it’s only 9.24 am… mmmm…
Jenn says
February 14, 2008 at 12:14 pmThat’s one of the things I have ordered many times at a restaurant,. but never actually made at home… looks delicious and suiting to the cold.
Proud Italian Cook says
February 18, 2008 at 4:32 amBoy does that soup look good!
Anonymous says
September 28, 2012 at 10:05 amits yyyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!
Maria Lichty says
January 3, 2017 at 5:39 pmSounds like their are some great flavor combos in this recipe
A says
January 3, 2017 at 6:34 pmSoup looking delicious.. thanks for sharing this .
We Are Not Martha says
January 4, 2017 at 1:47 pmThis has been pinned and will be made soon. It looks SO delicious!!
Sues