Soups
Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้ง · tôm yam kûng
The world-famous hot and sour Thai prawn soup, loud with lemongrass, lime and chilli.
- Spice
- Hot
- Also called
- Tom Yam Kung, Spicy Thai Prawn Soup, Hot and Sour Prawn Soup
- Virtual price
- ฿120
What it is
Tom Yum Goong is a clear or creamy hot-and-sour soup built on lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf and chilli, loaded with prawns and mushrooms. It is Thailand's most iconic soup and a candidate for the country's national dish.
How it tastes
Intensely aromatic and sour-spicy: sharp lime, citrus lemongrass and galangal, salty fish sauce and real chilli heat. The 'nam khon' version adds evaporated milk for a creamy, mellow finish.
Where it comes from
A central Thai soup rooted in the river prawns of the country's waterways. It became a global symbol of Thai cuisine in the late 20th century.
Ingredients
- River or sea prawns
- Lemongrass
- Galangal
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Bird's eye chilli
- Lime juice
- Fish sauce
- Straw or oyster mushrooms
- Nam prik pao (chilli paste)
How it's made
The herbs are bruised and simmered to release their oils, prawns and mushrooms are poached briefly, then the pot is taken off the heat before lime juice and fish sauce go in so the sourness stays fresh and bright.
Variations
- Tom Yum Nam Sai (clear)
- Tom Yum Nam Khon (creamy)
- Tom Yum Gai (chicken)
- Tom Yum Talay (mixed seafood)
- Tom Yum noodles (tom yum with sen lek)
Where to eat it
Seafood restaurants, riverside eateries and markets across Thailand; a fixture on almost every Thai menu abroad.
