Tom Yum Soup

Bright Thai tom yum soup with prawns, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and a hot-sour broth.

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The aromatics are simmered to flavour the broth, while lime juice is added off the heat so it stays fresh rather than bitter.

Ingredients

• 400 g prawns (peeled and deveined)
• 1.2 litres chicken or seafood stock
• 2 lemongrass stalks (bruised and cut into pieces)
• 30 g galangal (sliced)
• 5 makrut lime leaves (torn)
• 180 g straw mushrooms (halved)
• 4 Thai chillies (lightly crushed)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 1.5 tbsp Thai chilli paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)

Step-by-step method

1. Bring the stock to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves and simmer for 6–8 minutes to infuse the broth.
2. Add the mushrooms and crushed chillies and simmer for another 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the chilli paste, fish sauce and sugar until dissolved.
4. Add the prawns and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook them.
5. Turn off the heat before adding the lime juice. Boiling fresh lime juice can dull its flavour.
6. Taste the broth and adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness, lime for sourness or chilli for heat.
7. Ladle into bowls, leaving the tough lemongrass pieces behind if preferred, and finish with fresh coriander.