Thai Spicy Shrimp Soup Tom Yum Koong Food

TOM YUM SOUP

Steps:

• Peel the shrimp and remove the heads. Reserve the meat and the shells/heads separately.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok over medium high heat, and add the shrimp shells and heads. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the shells turn a bright and deep orange. Add 3 cups of water, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the shells from the stock using a strainer, and add the chicken stock.
• Take the lemongrass, and trim away the dry reedy bit about halfway up the stalk, and then trim the base. Peel the tough outer layers away to reveal the more tender center. Smash the lemon grass using a mallet or heavy rolling pin (one without handles).
• Cut the smashed lemongrass stalk into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, and add it to the broth in the wok. Also add the shallots, cilantro stem, galangal, lime leaves, and thai chilies.
• Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can remove the inedible herbs and aromatics from the pot using a fine-meshed strainer, but we like to leave them in, as is traditional in Thailand.
• Add the mushrooms, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, Thai chili paste and fish sauce. Stir until the chili paste has fully dissolved in the soup.
• Finally, add the shrimp, and simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on their size, until they're just cooked through.
• Add the lime juice to your serving bowl, and ladle the hot tom yum soup into the bowl. (You don't want to cook the lime juice. You want to preserve its fresh flavor. You also want to avoid putting large amounts of acidic lime juice into your wok, which can wear away the patina).
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

HOT AND SOUR THAI SOUP: TOM YUM GOONG

Steps:

• Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chiles. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.
• Uncover and add the fish sauce, sugar, and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss in the shrimp and cook for about 8 minutes until they turn pink. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, green onions, and cilantro. Taste for salt and spices; you should have an equal balance of spicy, salty, and sour. It's a good idea to tell your guest's that the lemongrass and lime leaves are for flavor only and should be avoided when eating the soup.

TOM YUM GOONG (SPICY THAI SHRIMP SOUP)

Steps:

• Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells. Combine shrimp shells and 6 cups water in a Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 hour.
• Strain broth through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Combine broth and remaining 3 1/2 cups water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Add galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves to pan; simmer 10 minutes. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.
• Return broth mixture to pan. Add mushrooms, chili paste, fish sauce, and chiles; bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp, green onions, and cilantro; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Discard chiles.
• Stir in fresh lime juice. Ladle 2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; sprinkle evenly with peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

THAI HOT AND SOUR SHRIMP SOUP - TOM YUM GOONG

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pot with garlic until aromatic; add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is light brown.
• Add the water and bring to a boil.
• Add black pepper, lemongrass, galangal, chiles, and lime leaves; return to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.
• Place shrimp in the pot along with the fish sauce and lime juice.
• Simmer for 3 more minutes, or until shrimp are firm and cooked.
• Garnish soup with fresh cilantro before serving.