Spicy and Sour Prawn Soup

Tom Yum is a spicy and sour soup that is very popular throughout Thailand, and can be found in nearly every Thai restaurant around the world. Tom Yum has a distinct spicy hot and sour flavor, with the fragrant herbs lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal used generously in the broth. The sour flavor comes from lime juice, it's saltiness comes from fish sauce, and crushed hot chili peppers contribute an extra spicy kick. Many different version of this soup exist. The most well-known is called Tom Yum Goong ( ต้มยำกุ้ง), which has fresh or saltwater shrimp added.

This recipe for Tom Yum Goong has a small amount of condensed milk added at the end, which turns the normally clear broth white / orange. This type is most commonly referred to as Tom Yum Nam Khon (creamy tom yum). The taste is fantastic, and these jumbo sized river prawns were amazing.

Yield: 2 servings

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cooking time: 5 Minutes

Ready in: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 Large River Prawns
1 Cup Straw Mushrooms
1 inch piece Galangal root
1 stalk Lemongrass
1/4 Small Brown or Yellow Onion
1 Green onion
3 - 4 leaves Culantro
3 - 4 Small Thai Hot Chili
4 - 6 Kaffir Lime leaves
4 small Cherry Tomatoes
2 Thai Hot Chili
1 Tablespoon Thai Roasted Chili Sauce
1/4 Cup Evaporated milk (unsweetened)
2 teaspoons Fish Sauce
2 teaspoons Coconut Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lime juice
1 teaspoon Salt

Basic Directions:

1) Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot or pan. Add the galangal, lemongrass, onion, and crushed red hot chili. Boil for 1 minute.

2) Add shrimp and bring back to a boil. Add mushrooms and sugar, and boil everything for 2 minutes.

3) Season to taste with lime juice and fish sauce, balancing salty and sour flavor.

4) Add the kaffir lime leaves, green onion, culantro, and tomatoes.

5) Add the Nam Prik Pao sauce and stir it in well. Then add condensed milk and stir again until well blended. Serve immediately.