{"id":132625,"title":"Authentic Tom Yum: Lemongrass and Shrimp Soup","modified":"2026-06-13T11:17:20+02:00","plain":"A delicious, authentic Tom Yum soup recipe that will transport your taste buds straight to Thailand’s night markets\n\n\n\nWhat is Tom Yum soup?\n\n\n\nTom Yum soup is celebrated for its unmistakable flavor: a bold balance of spice, acidity, and aromatic depth. This iconic soup gets its distinctive character from a carefully chosen blend of fragrant herbs, including lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, which give it its wonderfully complex flavor.\n\n\n\nTom Yum comes in several much-loved variations, with shrimp (Tom Yum Kung), chicken (Tom Yum Gai), seafood (Tom Yum Talay), and even pork (tom saap) among the most popular.\n\n\n\nEach version highlights the soup’s signature spicy, tangy character, with plenty of red chilies bringing the bright, fiery kick that makes Tom Yum so refreshing.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTom Yum vs. Tom Kha: what’s the difference?\n\n\n\nIf you are a fan of Thai cuisine, you are probably familiar with Tom Kha soup. It offers a different kind of flavor experience. While Tom Yum is known for its spicy, sour profile, tom kha is creamier and gently tangy, thanks to the addition of coconut milk. \n\n\n\nTom Kha usually features chicken as the main protein, though other variations do exist. Less spicy than Tom Yum, Tom Kha is loved for its comforting, mellow character: a softer option that is still deeply flavorful and satisfying.\n\n\n\nFor another spicy soup, try my shui zhu beef recipe\n\n\n\nThe origins of Tom Yum soup\n\n\n\nThe history of Tom Yum Kung, though somewhat mysterious, is deeply rooted in Thai culture. Many believe this spicy soup originated in central Thailand, a region rich in freshwater shrimp, but its exact origins remain unclear. \n\n\n\nIn these regions, many Thai families developed their own versions of the soup, each adding a unique personal touch.\n\n\n\nOver time, the Tom Yum Kung recipe has evolved in many ways. As is often the case with traditional dishes, modern versions of the soup sometimes include ingredients and spices that were not part of the original recipe. \n\n\n\nStill, the essential qualities of Tom Yum \u2013 its spicy, sour flavor \u2013 remain unchanged.\n\n\n\nTom Yum broth is surprisingly varied, ranging from a clear broth to a creamier version when powdered milk is added. Tom Yum also differs from one region of Thailand to another, with distinct variations between the north and south of the country, reflecting the richness and diversity of Thai cuisine.\n\n\n\nThe main ingredients in Tom Yum soup\n\n\n\nWater forms the essential base of the soup, acting as the starting liquid.\n\n\n\nShrimp, especially large Thai tiger shrimp, are ideal for their juiciness and meaty texture. That said, this Tom Yum soup recipe is versatile and can also be made with other proteins, such as chicken, squid, or even pork, depending on your preferences. You can also find my Tom Yum Talay seafood soup on the site\n\n\n\nThe seafood version\n\n\n\nKey ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves are best used fresh, though frozen also works well. The important thing is to use them fresh or frozen, never dried. Galangal can be replaced with ginger for a similar, though still distinct, flavor. \n\n\n\nTo add color and aroma to the soup, green onions, culantro, and cilantro are my fresh herbs of choice. Culantro is similar to cilantro, but it brings an even more authentic dimension to the recipe. If you manage to find some, don’t hesitate to use it!\n\n\n\nAs for mushrooms, there are plenty of options. Choose oyster mushrooms, shimeji, or shiitake, depending on your taste and what you have available.\n\n\n\nHow to devein shrimp\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTips for making great Tom Yum soup\n\n\n\nWhen preparing Tom Yum soup, remember that galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves are not meant to be eaten. You can either remove them before serving or leave them in the soup to continue infusing the broth. \n\n\n\nAs it cooks, taste regularly and adjust the seasoning until you reach the perfect balance of sour, spicy, salty, and subtly sweet flavors. In Thai cooking, tasting before serving is essential to make sure everything is well balanced.\n\n\n\nFresh, high-quality ingredients are essential for capturing the authentic flavor of Tom Yum. It is best to avoid frozen supermarket shrimp; if possible, buy fresh shrimp from a fish market. Likewise, choose fresh herbs and spices rather than frozen whenever you can.\n\n\n\nAdd the shrimp near the end of cooking and watch them closely, as they cook quickly. The goal is tender, juicy shrimp, not rubbery ones.\n\n\n\nFeel free to upgrade your soup with vegetables such as bell peppers, baby corn, snow peas, tomatoes, or anything else you enjoy. \n\n\n\nFor a quicker version, use homemade Tom Yum paste\n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic Tom Yum - Lemongrass Shrimp Soup\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tWok\t\n\t\n\t\t10 shrimp (raw)100 grams mushrooms (any Asian mushrooms)20 grams lemongrass (stalk only, sliced)28 grams shallots (sliced)3 leaves kaffir lime20 grams galangal (sliced)2 tablespoons Thai chili paste3 tablespoons fish sauce1 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon palm sugar2 tablespoons lime juice90 milliliters powdered milk (measure with a liquid measuring cup)350 milliliters watergreen onions (sliced, to taste)cilantro (chopped, to taste)culantro (chopped, optional)\t\n\t\n\t\tPeel and devein the shrimp, then set aside. For a deeper flavor, you can also make this soup with whole shrimp or shrimp in the shell.In a wok or saucepan over medium heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the shallots, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves.Simmer for about 3 minutes, then add the chili paste, palm sugar, fish sauce, salt, lime juice, and mushrooms. Stir well and bring the soup back to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.Stir in the powdered milk and let the soup simmer for a few more minutes.Add the shrimp and cook until just shy of done. Do not overcook them; they will continue cooking in the hot soup.Finally, stir in the green onions and cilantro. Serve the soup immediately, garnishing each bowl with extra chilies, cilantro, culantro, and green onions.\t\n\t\n\t\tGarnish with fresh herbs and chilies to taste.\nGalangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves are not meant to be eaten. Remove them from the soup before serving, or serve the soup as is and leave them in the bowl.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principal, Soupes et bouillonsTha\u00eflandaisetom yam, Tom yum\t\n\n\n\n\n\nThis recipe was contributed by Praew from the English-language blog Hungry In Thailand. Stay tuned: she is a specialist in Thai recipes and will be sharing more traditional Thai recipes soon","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}