Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tom Yum Goong - Hot and Sour Lemongrass Soup



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This hot and sour lemongrass soup is arguably the most famous of those that come from Thailand. I make it several times a year on those occasions when I want to serve a light but filling meatless meal. You'll find it is surprisingly easy to make despite a seemingly endless list of ingredients. I have several versions of this soup and I was initially at odds as to which I would share with you tonight. I finally settled on this classic preparation which is an adaption of one that can be found on the Temple of Thai website. There are loads of shortcuts that can be taken when making this soup, but I think its important to know how the classic version tastes before over-simplifying the base recipe. Having said that, I have to admit that I've been known to use the shortcuts. If you find you enjoy this soup you might want to try one of the concentrated bases that are now available for Tom Yum Goong. It makes quick work of the tasks associated with the assembly of this soup. Most of the ingredients needed to make this soup can be found in any large grocery store. Only galangal and keffir lime leaves are problematic. If you can't find galangal use ginger and if you can't find keffir lime leaves bypass them and continue with the recipe. This is a lovely version of the soup, but if you'd like to try one that is easier to make give the one found here a try. Purists will love the recipe below.

Tom Yum Goong...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Temple of Thai

Ingredients:

4 cups of water or shrimp stock
2 (3-inch) stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed, smashed and cut in 1-inch pieces
3 slices fresh galangal root, smashed
3 fresh kaffir lime leave
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
3/4 pound fresh shrimps, shelled and de-veined, shells reserved for broth
2 medium sized jalepenos, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.
1/2 small white onion, cut 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
1 (16-oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges 1/4-inch thick
1 small lime, squeezed
2 sprigs fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Add shrimp shells to water. Bring to a boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove shells.
2) Add lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce and tamarind paste concentrate. Add shrimp, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add onion, nam prik pao and straw mushrooms. Boil for another 7 minutes until shrimp is cooked through. Add jalapenos and tomatoes. Turn off the heat.
3) Add lime juice. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding fish sauce to taste. Garnish with cilatantro if desired and serve. Yield 3 to 4 servings.







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34 comments :

Red Nomad OZ said...

HHHMMMmmm... I'll be taking the biggest shortcut of all - to the local Thai restaurant!!! LOVE it - but I'll leave the making to the experts!!

Angie's Recipes said...

I am a fan of hot and sour flavours...and tom yum goong could be one of the best Thai dishes that I adore. Fantastic!

My Little Space said...

Hmm..mm.. This surely makes me salivate immediately. haha... I love it with ‘mian xian' 面线 or mee suah. Some called it flour vermicelli.
You too. Have a great day.
Kristy

Diane said...

This sounds delicious. I have discovered that I can substitute ginger root for galangal root, but the chances of fresh lemongrass in our part of rural France is unlikely. Somehow I do not thing dried will be the same. I will look around. Thanks Diane

Lenia said...

It sounds lovely!Have a great day,dear Mary!

raquel@eRecipe.com said...

Your hot and sour soup looks awesome. I want to try this one. =)

Epicurea said...

this looks fantastic and i like your 'purist' version! some dishes are best when left as simple and straightforward as possible.

kitchen flavours said...

Wow! I love Tom Yam Goong! Totally love it, especially if it is spicy and sour! Yours looks delicious! Yum!

firefoodie said...

One of my all time favourite soups. Impressive that you made the tom yum paste from scratch! I always buy it ready made. Nice work.

Kim said...

I like tom yum soup. It is so great. But, of course kefir lime leaves are ot easier to find around here. Next time I,m goig to an asian supermarket, I'll make one of these!

Love2cook Malaysia said...

Tom Yum Goong is my Hubby's fav whether it's made clear or red using coconut milk. You have made it looks sooooo delish. Slurppppp :)

Anonymous said...

this sounds so delicious - I've actually never cooked with lemongrass - I think this soup would be big hit in my house :)
Mary x

The Blonde Duck said...

I just tried Thai food the other day and liked it!

Becki's Whole Life said...

Love this recipe! I will have to look for the galangal the next time I am at the Asian grocery store. This is actually what my husband gets anytime we go out for Thai food...he would love it if I made it at home!

Unknown said...

An exotic, delicious sounding and looking soup! Definitley want to try this one!

SallyBR said...

Oh, I LOVE lemongrass, and any hot and sour soup is more than welcome too!

great recipe! I should really cook more of this type of meal, for some reason I shy away from making it at home...

Pam said...

I've never attempted to make this soup on my own. Yours looks amazing Mary.

ricettosando said...

very very good!!!!! Mary is truly a pleasure to meet you :* Welcome with us

Sir Eatalot said...

Looks amazing! Your pictures are so vibrant! You capture the "realness" in food.

mr. pineapple man said...

This is my favorite soup!

Rosita Vargas said...

Que exquisito y bello picante es adorable me encanta y como condimento hierbas frescas es lo máximo,buenas recetas,abrazos hugs,hugs.

Unknown said...

I love tom yum goong. It is so fresh, zingy and utterly delicious. Yours looks so inviting. I wish I could pick up that bowl and sip it :)

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

This is one of my favorite Asian soups. And now I am so happy to have a good recipe!

Big Dude said...

Bev is growing lemon grass and we're always looking for ways to use it.

Catherine said...

Dear Mary, I just love this soup! Blessings my dear friend, Catherine xo

Joanne said...

This is one of my favorite thai dishes! i love how it is so refreshing!

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

Wow what a great shot and this soup would be more than welcomed on our table!

Jessie-CookingMoments said...

Hi Mary, here I'm! I've forgotten when was the last time I had this Thai soup! I can have that with a big bowl of rice, just the simple as this!Great to visit your blog!

Salsa Verde said...

I love this kind of food and your recipe is so delicious and yummy!
Cheers,
Lia.

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness, I love Tom Yum Goong.. I've been looking to duplicate the one I so enjoy from a local restaurant... now I can stop looking!!

Courtney @ Bake. Eat. Repeat. said...

I love Thai food and have been trying to branch out to make more ethnic food. This looks like a great recipe to try! I'll definitely be coming back here for more ideas!

From the Kitchen said...

Thai soups are among the most satisfying in the world of cuisine--in my opinion, of course!! I keep galangal in the freezer and snip a few kefir lime leaves from the tree at my favorite Thai restaurant as needed (with permission).

I hope you have a delicious day.

Best,
Bonnie

Home Skillet Cooking said...

this soup sounds so delicious, i'd just love to make it if i can find all the ingredients!

http://platanosmangoes.com said...

This would be a soup for my husband. He just goes gaga over hot and sour. I like the way this soup looks.

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