Description
Tom Yum Kha Soup is a comforting Thai soup that masterfully blends spicy, tangy, and creamy flavors into one delightful bowl. Made with fresh shrimp, aromatic lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and rich coconut milk, this soup captures the essence of traditional Thai cuisine and is ready in just 35 minutes, making it perfect for a warm, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Broth Ingredients
- 20 oz whole shrimps with heads and shells
- 3 stalks lemongrass minced (or 3 tablespoons lemongrass paste)
- 4 Thai bird's eye chilies smashed (or Serrano chiles/red pepper flakes as substitute)
- 6 garlic cloves smashed
- 10 kaffir lime leaves torn
- 1 piece galangal sliced (or fresh ginger as substitute)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 5 cups water
Soup Ingredients
- 1 medium onion cut into ½ inch thick wedges
- 8 oz oyster mushrooms sliced
- 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
- 2 tsp sugar
- 6 tbsp fish sauce
- 5 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cup fresh coriander/cilantro leaves for garnish
- 3 tbsp Thai roasted chili paste
- ⅔ cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Prepare Shrimp: Remove the shells and heads from the shrimp, reserving shells and heads for the broth. Set the peeled shrimp meat aside for later use.
- Make Broth: In a large pot, combine shrimp heads and shells with minced lemongrass, smashed Thai bird’s eye chilies, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, sliced galangal, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer gently for 10 minutes to extract flavors.
- Strain Broth: Pour the simmered broth through a fine strainer to remove solids, keeping only the clear liquid. Return the strained broth to the pot.
- Add Vegetables: Add the onion wedges and sliced oyster mushrooms to the pot and simmer for about 3 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add Tomatoes: Stir in the tomato wedges and cook for another minute to slightly soften and release juices.
- Cook Shrimp: Add the peeled shrimp meat to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink and opaque, indicating they are cooked through.
- Season Soup: Stir in sugar, fish sauce, Thai roasted chili paste, coconut milk, and lime juice. Simmer gently for 1 more minute to blend all flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh coriander leaves, and serve hot for best flavor and aroma.
Notes
- Let the broth simmer slowly to fully extract flavors from shrimp shells, lemongrass, and galangal.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice for tanginess, fish sauce for saltiness, or chili paste for heat according to preference.
- Add coconut milk at the end and stir gently to maintain creaminess and avoid curdling.
- Serve immediately while the shrimp and herbs are fresh for the best texture and flavor.
