Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients

• 300g whole prawns/shrimp with heads and shells on
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, low sodium
• 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layers peeled
• 1.5 cm piece galangal, cut into 4 slices
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn roughly
• 2 Thai or bird's eye chillies
• 3 garlic cloves
• 120g oyster mushrooms
• 1 Roma tomato, cut into wedges
• 1/2 medium white onion, cut into 1 cm thick wedges
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• 1 1/2 tbsp Thai roasted chili paste (Nam Prik Pao) – for creamy version
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk – for creamy version

Instructions

1. Peel the prawns and place heads and shells in a pot, reserving the meat.
2. Use a meat mallet or similar to bash the garlic, chilli, and lemongrass so they burst open to release flavor. Add to the pot.
3. Crush kaffir lime leaves with your hands and add to the pot.
4. Add galangal, stock, and water. Bring to a simmer on high heat, cover, then reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Strain the broth, discard the prawn shells, then return broth to the same pot over low heat.
6. Add onions and mushrooms, simmer for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for 1 minute.
7. Add prawns and simmer for 2 minutes or until just cooked.
8. Stir in sugar and fish sauce, simmer for 1 minute.
9. Add lime juice, then taste and adjust sweetness (sugar), salt (fish sauce), and sourness (lime) to your preference.
10. Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and fresh chilli.
11. For Creamy Tom Yum: When adding sugar, also add Thai chilli paste and evaporated milk, then continue with the recipe.
12. For Tom Kha variation: Follow creamy version but use coconut milk instead of evaporated milk.