Tom Yum Goong is a spicy broth. Tom Yum Goong has become popular worldwide. It's easy and quick to make. This is definitely a recipe that you can not balance the taste - Tom Yum Goong must never be soft, but hot and sour.
Ingredients (2 Servings)
| 3 stalks lemongrass, green part and root trimmed, remaining section cut into 3 pieces |
| 5 kaffir lime leaves, each torn into 4 pieces |
| 2-inch piece galangal or ginger, sliced crosswise into 6 to 7 pieces |
| 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) cold water |
| 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, left whole if small and roughly chopped if medium or large |
| 2 tablespoons tamarind paste (you know, the block of brown tamarind found in Asian markets) |
| 7 to 10 tamarind tendrils (optional) |
| 3 to 15 bird’s eye chile peppers, smashed, to taste |
| 2 tablespoons nam prik pao (roasted chile paste) |
| 1/4 cup sliced button mushrooms |
| 4 to 8 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste |
| 6 to 12 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste |
| 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar |
| 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish |
Boil water in a 2-quart saucepan, place the lime leaves, galangal or ginger, lemongrass. Use the back of your knife to hit lemon grass, only to injure release flavor. Set the lemon grass into a knot to make it easier to handle, and then reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp, tamarind paste, tamarind tendrils (if desired), pepper and Nam Prik Pao and simmer until shrimp are cooked through.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with cilantro and serve.
Take a sip at a time. Add the fish sauce and / or lemon juice, if you have a mild flavor.
