Spicy Tom Yum Soup
Experience the vibrant, aromatic, and fiery flavors of this classic Thai hot and sour soup made easily at home.
Ingredients
- •4 cups vegetable broth (960ml)
- •3 stalks lemongrass, tender inner part only, sliced into rounds
- •5 slices fresh galangal or ginger
- •5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- •3 Thai bird eye chilies, bruised
- •200g firm tofu, cubed (or substitute with sliced chicken breast for a meat version)
- •1 cup button mushrooms, quartered (100g)
- •2 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
- •3 tablespoons nam prik pao (Thai chili paste, ensure kosher certified)
- •3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- •2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce or light soy sauce
- •2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and bruised bird eye chilies to the boiling broth and let simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- 3
Add the mushrooms and cubed tofu (or chicken, if using) to the pot, cooking for about 5 minutes until tender.
- 4
Stir in the vegetarian fish sauce and the Thai chili paste, ensuring the paste dissolves completely into the soup.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato wedges, and cook for 2 more minutes until just warmed through.
- 6
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice.
- 7
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
💡 Chef tips
- For a richer soup texture, stir in two tablespoons of coconut milk just before removing from the heat.
- You can prepare the aromatic broth base a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator to save time.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer Thai bird eye chilies according to your preference.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished soup should be vibrant and translucent with a fiery red tint, giving off an intoxicating aroma of citrus and lemongrass, and delivering a perfectly balanced punch of hot, sour, and savory flavors.