Tom Yum Soup (The Most Authentic Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Tom Yum Soup - the BEST Thai Tom Yum Goong recipe you'll find online. Loaded with shrimp and mushroom, Tom Yum is spicy, sour, savory, and addictive!

Tom Yum Soup(The Most Authentic Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

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Table of Contents

What Is Tom Yum Soup?

Tom Yum Goong is one of the most well-known Thai recipes, and I have the BEST and most authentic Tom Yum recipe for you. Not to mention how easy it is to make.

Goong means “shrimp” in Thai, as the soup is usually made with shrimp. You can also make it with seafood such as squid or a combination of different seafood.

Other Thai Recipes You Might Like:

  • Pad Thai
  • Green Curry
  • Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
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Ingredients for Tom Yum

  • Shrimp Stock
  • Shrimp
  • Lime Juice
  • Thai Chilies
  • Thai Roasted Chili Paste
  • Fish Sauce
  • Mushrooms
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Cooking Tips

  • The best Tom Yum calls for shrimp stock, which you can make by boiling the shrimp heads with water. A good stock guarantees the great taste of Tom Yum. However, you can also make it with water or canned chicken stock.
  • Another secret is the use of nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste). You can’t do without the aromatics: galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and bird’s eye chilies.
  • To make Bangkok-style Tom Yum which is creamier and whiter in color, add a few tablespoons of evaporated milk to the soup.

Once you have these ingredients, you will have the best bowl of homemade tom yum you’ve ever tasted, I promise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tom Yum Soup Healthy?

In Thai culture, it is believed that tom yum is beneficial to ones health.

What Is the Difference between Tom Yum and Tom Kha?

The main difference is the use of coconut in tom kha.

How Many Calories?

One serving has 270 calories.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

This meal is best served with Thai entrees. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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Tom Yum Soup Recipe

Tom Yum Soup - the BEST Thai Tom Yum Goong recipe you'll find online. Loaded with shrimp and mushroom, Tom Yum is spicy, sour, savory, and addictive!

4.57 from 153 votes

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By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 2 people

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. (350g) shrimp ( or tiger prawn, head-on and shell-on)
  • 2 1/2 cups shrimp stock (preferred, canned chicken stock, or water)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (cut into 3-inch (7cm) strips, pounded with a cleaver)
  • 3 slices galangal
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves (bruised)
  • 6 bird's eyes chilies (pounded)
  • 6 fresh oyster mushrooms (cut into pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
  • 2 tablespoons nam prik pao oil
  • 3 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
  • Cilantro leaves (for garnishing)

Instructions

  • Peel the shell and head off the shrimp, keep the tails on. Save the shell and shrimp head. Devein the shrimp and set aside.

  • In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil. Add the shrimp head and shell to make shrimp stock. Boil until the water turns slightly orange in color. Press the shrimp heads with a spatula to extract the juice from the heads.

  • Simmer and let the stock reduce to 2 1/2 cups. Drain the shrimp stock and discard the shrimp heads and shells.

  • Turn the heat to high and add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bird's eye chilies, mushroom, nam prik pao and nam prik pao oil to the shrimp stock. Bring it to boil.

  • Add in the shrimp and fish sauce. Lastly, add the lime juice (if you add lime juice too early, the soup might turn bitter). Boil until the shrimps are cooked, dish out, and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

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Notes

  1. You may use tiger prawn for this recipe.
  2. I recommend Pantai brand Nam Prik Pao. In bottled Nam Prik Pao, the oil floats to the top. Use the oil to make Tom Yum Soup.
  3. Other than oyster mushrooms, you can also use straw mushrooms or white mushrooms.
  4. You can make Tom Yum Soup with chicken, a combination of chicken plus shrimp, or seafood combination (shrimp, squid, and scallop). However, the most popular tom yum is tom yum goong, goong means prawn in Thai language.

Course: Thai Recipes

Cuisine: Thai

Keywords: tom yum soup

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tom Yum Soup Recipe

Amount Per Serving (2 people)

Calories 270Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 53mg18%

Sodium 1402mg61%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 14g28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Tom Yum Soup (The Most Authentic Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What ethnicity is Tom Yum soup? ›

Originated in Thailand, this is sometimes called Tom Yam and is a soup that normally includes shrimp in a hot and sour serving. The words Tom Yam mean “boiling” or “hot” and “spicy and sour” which perfectly describes this soup. As a staple Thai dish, this famous Tom Yum Goong is served in Thai Square.

How healthy is Tom Yum soup? ›

Tom yum has fewer than 100 calories per cup. It also has shrimp, veggies, and fragrant spices, such as lemongrass. Tom yum and other broth-based soups, like tofu-vegetable or wonton, are usually lower in fat and calories than soups made with coconut milk, such as tom kha.

What is the difference between tom yam and tom yum? ›

Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam refers to a Thai spicy and sour salad. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant spices and herbs generously used in the broth.

What is Tom Yum soup made of? ›

The soup base depends on the exact sub-type but is generally water, coconut milk, or chicken or other broth. Various aromatic ingredients are sliced, roughly pounded, and simmered to extract their flavor. These include fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilis, shallots, and garlic.

What does Yum mean in Thai? ›

Yum, meaning “mix,” is a hearty dish consisting mostly of meat, fish, or seafood together with many other typically Thai ingredients which may include peanuts, fruit, and herbs.

What does Tom mean in Thai? ›

The Thai word for “boil” or tom (pronounced “dtome”) features prominently on Thai menus and tom yum goong is probably one of the most famous Thai dishes in the world.

Can diabetics eat Thai food? ›

A small portion of pad thai is fine for the person with diabetes, but leave at least half the serving for another day. Thai food is so nutritious that there is little about it to warn the person with diabetes. As always, avoid large portions and too much rice. And be careful of the hot spices.

Is Tom Yum soup anti inflammatory? ›

Health Benefits: Tom Yum soup is made with a variety of fresh herbs and spices that are known for their health benefits. Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal are all used in the soup and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Is Tom Yum bad for cholesterol? ›

Coconut milk is also another common ingredient that you will find in Tom Yum Goong. It is known for its effectiveness in lowering cholesterol, and improving your immune system.

What do you eat with tom yum soup? ›

Serve tom yum soup as is for a flavorful appetizer or with steamed white rice or sticky rice as a main dish.

What do people eat with tom yum? ›

While it's perfectly acceptable to eat tom yum soup on its own with some jasmine rice, in Thailand it's typically part of a bigger meal. Since the soup is light and tart, we want to pair it with something dry and/or rich: Vietnamese caramel chicken is a sweet-salty dish that would go perfectly with tom yum.

Why is Tom Yum soup so good? ›

This soup is known for its spicy and sour flavors, which are balanced by the sweetness of the shrimp. Another popular variation is Tom Kha Gai, which is made with chicken, coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and chili peppers.

What are the two types of Tom Yum soup? ›

There are two different types of Tom Yum soup. The original Tom Yum is a clear soup called Tom Yum Nam Sai. The later version, which is commonly seen and widely adored, is a vibrant-coloured, richer and creamier soup called Tom Yum Nam Khon as it has roasted chilli paste, evaporated milk or coconut cream added to it.

Why is Tom Yum so sour? ›

Now depending on what dishes you're aiming for, the key ingredients to make tom yum usually include lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime for fragrance, chilli for spiciness, lemon juice or tamarind paste for sour flavours, palm sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for saltiness.

What is Tom Yum in English? ›

The words “tom yum” are derived from two Thai words: “tom” and “yam”. “Tom” refers to boiling process, while “yam” refers to a kind of Lao and Thai spicy and sour salad. Thus, “tom yum” is a Lao and Thai hot and sour soup and is indeed the most famous Thai soup.

What is Chinese national soup? ›

Patriotic soup (simplified Chinese: 护国菜; traditional Chinese: 護國菜; pinyin: hùguó cài; lit. 'protect the country dish', Teochew :hu gog chai) is a vegetable soup originated by Teochew people. It was developed during the final year of China's Song dynasty as an improvisational dish.

Why is tom yum popular in Thailand? ›

The strong flavours in Thai food offers are reasons that make them very popular, and Tom Yum Goong is definitely full of flavour. Tom Yum Goong is different from many western soups because most western soups do not have a huge amount of flavour in the broth.

When did tom yum soup originate? ›

As a result, “tom yum goong” is thought to have originated in Central Thailand. However, the first written record of a tom yum recipe, which dates from 1888, is titled “snakehead fish tom yum” (ต้มยำปลาช่อน).

What nationality is blood soup? ›

The raw blood of ducks, geese, or pigs comprise tiết canh, a traditional Vietnamese dish known as blood soup. To make tiết canh, cooks first blend the blood with a saline mixture or diluted fish sauce to keep it from coagulating too quickly. Then they season the mixture, add baked or fried meat, and set it aside.

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