World Flavors Cookbook

Tom Yum Goong

Thailand's world-famous hot and sour shrimp soup — a fragrant, electrifying broth of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and chili with juicy prawns.

Cuisine: Thailand

Ingredients

• 500g large shrimp, peeled (save shells)
• 4 cups water or stock
• 3 stalks lemongrass, smashed and cut
• 5 slices galangal
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 200g mushrooms, halved
• 5 Thai bird's eye chilies, bruised
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp chili paste in oil (nam prik pao)
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Simmer shrimp shells in water 10 minutes for stock. Strain.
2. Add lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Boil 3 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and chilies. Cook 2 minutes.
4. Add shrimp. Cook just until pink, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Add fish sauce, lime juice, and nam prik pao.
6. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately — the aromatics should hit you first.