Thai cuisine is renowned for its vibrant and complex flavors, striking a harmonious balance between sweet, sour, spicy, and salty tastes. It is a reflection of Thailand's rich cultural diversity and geographical influences. Thai food features a wide array of dishes, with some of the most iconic ones being Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong, Green Curry, and Som Tum (Papaya Salad).
It is a spicy and sour soup and the iconic flavors come from 3 herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. Here's a recipe for Tom Yum Goong:
If you like Prawn, here are some prawn recipes of Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine:
- Kerala Prawn Curry Recipe
- Misa Mach Poora Recipe of Mizoram
- Lau Chingri Recipe of Bengal
- Golda Chingrir Malaikari of Bangladesh
- Chingri Macher Paturi of Bangladesh
Ingredients Tom Yum Goong:
- 10-12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave the tails on for presentation)
- 4 cups water or chicken stock
- 2-3 lemongrass stalks, (cut them into 2-inch pieces and smash)
- 3-4 slices of galangal or ginger
- 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
- 2-3 smashed Thai bird's eye chilies, (you may adjust according to your spice preference)
- 200g (about 7 oz) straw mushrooms, halved (or other mushrooms of your choice)
- 2-3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
- Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao) - optional, for added flavor
- Salt, to taste
Instructions of Making Tom Yum Goong:
1. Start by bringing the water or chicken stock to a boil in a pot.
2. Add the lemongrass, galangal (or ginger), and torn kaffir lime leaves to the pot and let them simmer for about 5-10 minutes to infuse the broth with their flavors.
3. Now add the shrimp to the pot and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink and opaque. Take care not to overcook the shrimp as they can become rubbery due to over cooking.
4. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and sliced onion to the pot when the shrimps are cooked properly and let them simmer for another 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
5. Now add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to the soup for seasoning. Add smaller amount of fish sauce and lime juice first, then taste and adjust according to your preference for saltiness and tanginess.
6. If you want to add extra depth of flavor, you can add a spoonful of Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao) at this point. It adds a sweet and smoky flavor to the soup.
7. Add the smashed Thai bird's eye chilies. Adjust the amount according to how spicy you want the soup to be. Remember that Thai chilies are very spicy, so start with just a couple if you're not used to heat.
8. Let the soup simmer for a few more minutes until everything is heated through and the flavors have melded together.
9. Taste the soup one final time and adjust the seasoning as needed with more fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, or salt.
Serving of Tom Yum Goong:
Garnish your Tom Yum Goong soup with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot
Enjoy your homemade Tom Yum Goong! Adjust the spice level and seasoning to suit your taste preferences.
You May Also This Thai Salad Recipe: Som Tum Thai Recipe
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