Tom Yum Soup
Simple to make with fresh OR peeled frozen shrimp / shrimp, it's surprisingly easy to do once you've got the ingredients together!
Ingredients
- 6 cups of water
- 15 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen
- 1 inch galangal root, optional
- 5 stems of fresh lemongrass
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1/3 cup unflavored oil
- 1 lime, squeezed
- 4-6 Thai chili peppers (or Thai chili paste to taste)
- 1 ½ pound medium-sized whole raw shrimp (with heads intact)
- ½ onion, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1 cup of straw or button mushrooms, sliced
- Possible garnishes: coriander leaves and lime wedges
Instructions
First, remove the heads from the shrimp and place them in a wok or large skillet. Peel and clean the shrimp and set aside. * You can also add the shrimp shells to the pan, but the heads are the important part.
Then, add the oil to the pan and set over medium heat. Add a good pinch of salt. Sauté the shrimp heads to release their flavor in the oil, cook until red and crisp. Then turn off the fire.
Meanwhile, cut off the tips and root ends of the lemongrass stems and remove the tough outer layers. Cut the lemongrass into 1 ½ inch segments. Cut the galangal into 3 or 4 pieces.
Using a meat mallet or the side of a knife, mash the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, onion, peppers and galangal. Place them in a medium pot. Pour the water into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the broth smells nice and fragrant.
Remove and discard any stubborn sections of lemongrass. (Keep them all indoors if the stems are mushy.) Increase the heat to high. Stir in the mushrooms. Boil for 1 minute. Then add the shrimp and fish sauce, cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 45 seconds.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Then add 3-4 tablespoons of shrimp oil. (Discard the heads; do not add them to the soup.)
Serve with fresh lime wedges and cilantro. Tom Yum is often served over rice, but it's low in carbs served as is! Happy Cooking Time.
