Tomyum soup base - lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, prawn shells
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We had some prawn shells in the freezer waiting to be used, so Julia decided that we should have tomyum soup for dinner. The recipes online didn't look too hard.
I used sliced chicken breast, Golden Needle / Enokitake and King Oyster / Eringi mushrooms.
The basic ingredients for the soup base are:
- lemongrass - sliced of bruised
- galangal - sliced
- coriander / cilantro root and stalks
- tamarind paste or dried slices
- Kaffir lime leaves - torn
- chicken or fish stock
Seasonings:
- fish sauce
- lime juice or white vinegar
- palm sugar or white sugar
- Thai chilli and shrimp paste (nam prik pow)
For garnish:
- coriander / cilantro leaves
- lime wedges
- fresh chillies for extra spice. Thin strips of red capsicum / bell peppers are fine.
Method:
1. Simmer the soup base ingredients
2. Adjust seasoning
3. Add mushrooms, vegies, seafood, meat.
4. Check seasoning.
5. Garnish and serve.
Conclusions:
Yum!
I used tamarind paste which made the soup a bit thicker than I would have liked, but it is milder and not as sharp as the dried tamarind slices. I also used a bit of Sambal Tumis, because I didn't have nam prik pao! I think any sweet-ish jammy chilli paste would be fine.
The Kaffir lime leaves really give this the Thai edge. If you can't get those, a poor substitute might be some lime or lemon zest, but it won't be the same.
Photos:
- Tomyum Soup with Chicken, Golden Needle and King Oyster Mushrooms
- Tomyum soup base - lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, prawn shells
Some of the recipes I referenced:
- Tom yum soup with lime and white fish - BBC Food
- Tom Yum Goong - Sour & Spicy Lemongrass Shrimp Soup - Temple of Thai