Tom Yum Soup (Tom Yum Goong)
A bright, spicy-sour Thai prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime — quick to make and full of punchy flavour.
Tom Yum Goong is the Thai soup of fireworks — hot, sour and fragrant. This version is the clear, classic prawn soup: bright lime, punchy galangal and lemongrass, and plenty of umami from fish sauce.
Make it when you want something fast but full of character — it’s perfect as a light supper or starter. Keep a lid handy and don’t let it boil off the delicate aromatics.
Ingredients
- 500 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 l chicken stock — hot
- 30 g fresh galangal — thinly sliced
- 3 lemongrass stalks — trimmed and bruised (smash with the handle of a knife)
- 6 kaffir lime leaves — torn to release oils
- 4 bird's eye chillies — smashed or sliced, adjust to taste
- 2 shallots — thinly sliced
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms — halved or sliced
- 150 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 15 ml neutral oil — vegetable or sunflower oil
- 45 ml fish sauce
- 45 ml lime juice — freshly squeezed (about 2 limes)
- 5 g caster sugar
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- large saucepan or stockpot
- wooden spoon
- ladle
Instructions
Heat the neutral oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and fry gently for 2 minutes until softened but not browned.
Add the sliced fresh galangal, bruised lemongrass stalks, torn kaffir lime leaves and bird's eye chillies. Fry for 30 seconds to wake the aromatics.
Pour in the hot chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with the aromatics.
Add the chestnut mushrooms and cherry tomatoes to the simmering stock and cook for 3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and tomatoes begin to break down.
Add the raw king prawns to the pot and poach gently for 2–3 minutes until just pink and opaque.
Turn the heat off. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and caster sugar, tasting and adjusting seasoning — add more fish sauce for saltiness or more lime for brightness.
Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter with the fresh coriander and serve immediately.
Tips
- If you can’t find fresh galangal, use 1 tsp dried galangal powder rehydrated in a little warm stock — flavour will be slightly less vibrant.
- Bruise lemongrass well (smash the stalks) to release oils; cutting it too fine can make the strands hard to fish out later.
- Taste and adjust at the end: tom yum should balance sour (lime), salty (fish sauce) and a touch of sweetness. Add these in small increments.
- To make ahead: prepare the broth to step 4, cool quickly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat and add prawns and lime juice just before serving.
- If using frozen prawns, thaw thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry before adding to the soup.
Substitutions
chicken stock → vegetable stock of equal quantity (1,000 ml)
Stays closeraw king prawns → firm white fish fillets (e.g. cod or haddock), cut into 3 cm pieces
Noticeably differentfish sauce → tamari or soy-free tamari (45 ml) for a less fishy, salty depth; for vegetarian use, add 1 tbsp miso dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 190
- Calories
- 30 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 1300 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — use vegetable stock and replace fish sauce with 1 tbsp miso dissolved in a little warm water plus a splash of soy or tamari for saltiness. The flavour changes but still delicious.
How can I reduce the heat?
Remove the seeds from the bird's eye chillies or use fewer chillies. You can also substitute with 1 mild red chilli for a gentler warmth.
Can I use dried galangal or ginger instead?
Dried galangal or powdered galangal will work in a pinch but is less aromatic; ginger is a last resort and will shift the flavour toward tom kha territory.
How long will leftovers keep?
Keep chilled in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently and add a little extra lime juice after reheating to revive brightness.
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