Tom Yum Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Smash the lemongrass stalks with the back of a knife and cut into 2–3 inch pieces; peel and thinly slice galangal; lightly bruise the kaffir lime leaves by folding them; peel and halve the shallots; lightly crush the chilies (leave whole for less heat or slice for more).

Simmer broth

In a medium pot, combine 6 cups water and 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock. Add the prepared lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and chilies. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes to infuse the flavors.

Prepare mushrooms and vegetables

While broth simmers, clean and halve mushrooms if needed, slice tomatoes into wedges, and thinly slice the onion. If using dried mushrooms, rehydrate and reserve soaking liquid to add later.

Add vegetables

After the broth has simmered 10–12 minutes, add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and sliced onion to the pot. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until mushrooms begin to soften and tomatoes release some juice.

Cook shrimp

Add the raw shrimp to the simmering soup and cook 2–3 minutes until they turn pink and curl. Do not overcook—shrimp should be opaque and tender.

Season soup

Turn off the heat or reduce to the lowest setting. Stir in 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon Thai chili paste (nam prik pao), and 1 teaspoon sugar. Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness, more lime for acidity, or more sugar for balance.

Add acidity and herbs

Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Add chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. If using coconut milk for a creamy variation, stir in 1/2 cup now and gently warm (do not boil).

Final adjust and serve

Remove and discard the lemongrass pieces and galangal slices (or inform diners they are inedible). Taste once more and adjust seasoning to your preference. Ladle the hot Tom Yum into bowls and garnish with a few extra cilantro leaves and a sliced chili if desired.

If you reserved mushroom soaking liquid, add up to 1/4 cup to deepen flavor when adding vegetables. For Tom Yum Nam Khon (creamy), add 1/2 cup coconut milk after turning off high heat and warm gently; do not boil after adding coconut milk to prevent curdling.