Main Ingredients:
Large Shrimp: 3; Clams: 5; Straw Mushrooms: 5.
Additional Ingredients:
Ginger: 8 slices; Lemongrass: as needed; Kaffir Lime Leaves: as needed; Chili Peppers: as needed; Lime: as needed; Tom Yum Paste: as needed; Fish Sauce: as needed; Coconut Milk: as needed.
Taste: Spicy and Sour; Cooking Method: Stew; Time: 20 minutes; Difficulty: Easy.
Tom Yum Soup Cooking Steps
Prepare the ingredients. If you don’t have Kaffir Lime at home, you can use lime juice instead. Substitute regular ginger for galangal. For coconut milk, it’s best not to substitute with coconut water as coconut milk is more fragrant and less sweet. Coconut milk is used in many desserts, so don’t worry about not using up a large can of it.
Rinse the shrimp, clams, and straw mushrooms. Blanch the straw mushrooms in hot water. Set aside.
Bring 800ml to 1L of water to a boil. Once boiling, add ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and chili peppers to the pot and simmer like making herbal tea. PS: For those without a pot, keep track of time: about 5 minutes.
After simmering, add the blanched straw mushrooms.
Add Tom Yum paste and lime.
Add 3 tablespoons of coconut milk and a little fish sauce. Squeeze the lime juice directly into the pot, but remember to peel it first to avoid bitterness. If using lemon juice, you don’t need to worry about this. For those who like a sour taste, feel free to add more lime juice. Fish sauce is salty, so no need to add extra salt after adding it.
Now, this step is crucial. Pay close attention. Simmer again in herbal tea mode for about 3 minutes, then add the shrimp and clams. Once the soup is ready, your Tom Yum Soup is done.
