Thai Tom Yam Soup 泰式东炎汤

Ingredients

  1. 6-8 Prawns, shells removed, keep the head while removing the head shell
  2. 1/2 Squid, optional
  3. 3 Cilantro roots bruised
  4. 1 inch Galangal, sliced
  5. 3 Lemongrass bruised and cut into 2 inches
  6. 4 cups Water
  7. 1 Chicken stock cube
  8. 1 packet Tom Yam paste
  9. 1 cup Carnation brand evaporated milk
  10. 1 tbsp Fish sauce
  11. 2 Tomatoes, cut into 4 wedges and then into half length wise
  12. 4 Red onions, quartered
  13. 1/2 Lime

Method

Firstly, add 4 cups of water, chicken stock cube and cilantro roots to a pot and boil. The cilantro root is to give it some fragrance. In about 3 minutes, add galangal, lemongrass, Tom Yum paste and red onions in. Cook for about 15 minutes before adding in tomatoes, and add fish sauce and lime to taste. These are actually the basic ingredients of a Thai cuisine. So in every Thai cuisine, you will see these main ingredients. When the soup is boiling, simmer and add prawns and mushrooms. The reason why we do not remove the head other than the shell, is because we want the head juice to produce the red colour in the soup. The last finishing touch will be the evaporated milk and you may add that according to your taste.

This is actually made by a Thai friend of mine and when I asked how they do the Tom Yam paste, she said that it is too convenient to buy ready made paste and add more flavour by adding more herbs into the soup.