Tiger Prawn Recipe

Name: Charm Thais Tiger Prawn Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 6 cups water or seafood stock; 2 stalks fresh lemongrass (trimmed, smashed, cut into 2–3 inch pieces); 1 cup galangal (sliced, about 1/8" thick); 6 leaves kaffir lime leaves (torn); 2 pieces shallots (peeled, halved); 3 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies (crushed; adjust); 3 tbs fresh lime juice; 3 tbs fish sauce; 1 cup light coconut milk (or evaporated milk for creamier, optional); 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar; 1 lb tiger prawns (large, peeled leaving tails on, deveined); 1 cup straw mushrooms or button mushrooms (halved or quartered); 1 cup tomatoes (cut into wedges); 1 tbs cilantro (roughly chopped); 2 pieces green onions (sliced diagonally); 1 to taste additional sliced chili (optional, for garnish)

Inspired by Charm Thai

Time35m

Serves4

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Ingredients

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Broth & aromatics

6 cups water or seafood stock

2 stalks fresh lemongrass (trimmed, smashed, cut into 2–3 inch pieces)

1 cup galangal (sliced, about 1/8" thick)

6 leaves kaffir lime leaves (torn)

2 pieces shallots (peeled, halved)

3 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies (crushed; adjust)

Soup body & seasoning

3 tbs Fresh lime juice

3 tbs Fish sauce

1 cup light coconut milk (or evaporated milk for creamier, optional)

1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

Main ingredients

1 lb tiger prawns (large, peeled leaving tails on, deveined)

1 cup straw mushrooms or button mushrooms (halved or quartered)

1 cup tomatoes (cut into wedges)

Herbs & garnish

1 tbs cilantro (roughly chopped)

2 pieces green onions (sliced diagonally)

1 to taste additional sliced chili (optional, for garnish)

Method

Broth & aromatics

In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water or seafood stock to a simmer over medium heat.

Add smashed lemongrass stalks, sliced galangal, torn kaffir lime leaves, halved shallots, and crushed bird's eye chilies to the pot.

Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the aromatics for 10–12 minutes to infuse the broth. Do not boil vigorously — a simmer preserves the bright flavors.

Soup body & seasoning

After 10–12 minutes, strain out and discard (or reserve for reuse in other stocks) the larger pieces of lemongrass, galangal and shallots if you prefer a clearer broth. You may also leave them in for stronger flavor; just remove before serving.

Return the infused broth to the pot and stir in coconut milk (or evaporated milk) and bring back to a gentle simmer. Do not boil hard once milk is added to avoid splitting.

Season the broth with fish sauce and palm sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and balance — the soup should be a lively mix of sour, salty and slightly sweet.

Turn off heat briefly and stir in most of the lime juice (reserve about 1 tablespoon to adjust before serving). Taste again and add more lime juice or fish sauce as desired.

Main ingredients

Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Add mushrooms and tomato wedges and simmer 2–3 minutes until mushrooms begin to soften and tomatoes release a little juice.

Add tiger prawns to the pot in a single layer. Cook 2–4 minutes, depending on size, until prawns turn pink and opaque and curl slightly. Do not overcook — prawns cook quickly.

Finish & garnish

Remove the pot from heat. Taste and adjust final seasoning with reserved lime juice, more fish sauce, or a pinch more sugar if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets prawns, mushrooms and tomato. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and sliced green onions on top, and add additional sliced chili if you want extra heat.

Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice on the side or enjoy as a bowl on its own.