Why does my tom yum sauce taste burned?

The garlic and shallots can go from perfectly browned to charcoal in the blink of an eye. It's for that reason that I remove those elements from the burner as soon as I start to see browning. Place it in a bowl and allow it to cool on the countertop before blending.

Why is my shrimp rubbery?

It probably sat in the soup for too long on the stovetop. Medium to large shrimp only need to be simmered around two to three minutes before they're good to go. And they'll continue to cook in the hot soup after being placed in serving bowls.

Why can't I just add everything to the pot at the same time? It's soup!

The garlic and shallots develop deep flavor when they're cooked separately in oil. And the shrimp will certainly overcook if added at the beginning.

Can I make a vegan version of this recipe?

While it's possible, I don't recommend it. The dried shrimp and fish sauce alone deliver so much depth of flavor to tom yum soup. You could always use veggie broth and swap the fresh shrimp for tofu, but it's still a pescatarian dish with the fish sauce and dried shrimp. If you're after a vegan Asian soup, try my bok choy soup instead.

Tom Yum Soup

Name: Tom Yum Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cups chicken stock; 2 tablespoons tom yum sauce (recipe below); 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped; 1 4-inch piece lemongrass, roughly chopped; 6 tablespoons lemon juice; 6 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely sliced; 3 or 4 fresh Thai chilis, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; 16 straw mushrooms, roughly chopped, or 8 button mushrooms; 8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined; lemon wedges, for garnish; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 4 cloves garlic, sliced in half; 4 shallots, roughly chopped; 2 Thai chilis, roughly chopped; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon ground dried shrimps

Description

My tom yum soup has all the punchy Southeast Asian flavor of the authentic version in Thailand: Sour, pungent, acidic and hot.

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons tom yum sauce (recipe below)
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 4-inch piece lemongrass, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely sliced
3 or 4 fresh Thai chilis, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
16 straw mushrooms, roughly chopped, or 8 button mushrooms
8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
lemon wedges, for garnish

Tom Yum Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced in half
4 shallots, roughly chopped
2 Thai chilis, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground dried shrimps

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Instructions

Make the tom yum sauce. In a small pot, add oil, garlic, shallots and chilies and cook until garlic and shallots are golden brown (3-4 minutes). Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool in a bowl on the countertop (don’t leave it in the pot as it will burn).
Blend the cooled tom yum sauce with sugar, salt and dried shrimp. Blend until smooth and paste-like.
Make the soup. In a large saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the tom yum sauce. Once almost boiling, add the lime leaves, lemongrass, lemon juice, fish sauce, chilies, and sugar, then bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes.
Add mushrooms and shrimp. Stir in the mushrooms and shrimp and cook for a further two to three minutes, or until the shrimps are cooked through. Remove the lemongrass.
Serve with fresh chiles and lemon wedges.

Notes

Tom yum soup is best enjoyed immediately. Save leftovers in a covered storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 263
Sugar: 14.9g
Sodium: 2730mg
Fat: 7.7g
Saturated Fat: 3.8g
Unsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 26g
Fiber: 3.3g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 99mg