🧂 Ingredients
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- 300 grams fresh medium-sized shrimp
- 800 ml water
- 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised then cut into pieces
- 3 inch piece galangal, thinly sliced
- 5 leaves kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 8 pieces red bird's eye chilies, bruised
- 150 grams button mushrooms or straw mushrooms, halved
- 2 pieces tomatoes, quartered
- 5 shallots, sliced
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp chili paste (nam prik pao)
- 100 ml thick coconut milk (optional, for tom yum nam khon version)
- to taste fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail intact for a nicer presentation. Rinse well and set aside. The shrimp heads and shells can be lightly toasted then simmered to add a richer, savory flavor to the broth, if you like.
- 2 Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and sliced shallots. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and the water takes on a nice aroma.
- 3 Add the chili paste (nam prik pao), stir well until dissolved and the broth turns a reddish-orange color.
- 4 Add the mushrooms and tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- 5 Add the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink and are fully cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Don't overcook so the texture stays nice and firm.
- 6 Season with fish sauce and sugar, stir well. If you want a creamy version (tom yum nam khon), pour in the thick coconut milk at this stage and stir gently.
- 7 Turn off the heat, then add the bruised bird's eye chilies and lime juice. Stir briefly - this is important so the fresh sour flavor doesn't get lost from excess heat.
- 8 Taste and adjust the seasoning: add more fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or lime juice for sourness, according to your taste.
- 9 Pour into serving bowls, sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves on top. Serve piping hot with steamed white rice.
💡 Tips
• Don't boil the lime juice for too long as it will turn the sour flavor bitter - always add it at the end after the heat has been turned off.
• Use shrimp with the heads on if you want a richer, more flavorful broth; the shrimp heads can be simmered first before sautéing the aromatics.
• Nam prik pao chili paste can be found in the Asian seasoning section of major supermarkets, or you can substitute a mixture of ground chilies and a bit of palm sugar if it's not available.
• For a lighter version without coconut milk (tom yum nam sai), simply skip the coconut milk step - it will still taste fresh and pleasantly spicy.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
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