Tom Yum

Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/tom-yum-soup-best-3217653

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock 1 stalk lemongrass, lower third finely minced, top bulb smashed and bound with twine 1 carrot, thickly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons minced onion 2 tablespoons grated galangal or ginger 3 makrut lime leaves (or bay leaves and long strip of lime zest) 1-1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce, divided 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice 1 to 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed 1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons 12 to 14 medium raw shrimp (or 8 to 10 large), shells left on or removed 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 1/4 to 1/3 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk 1 teaspoon chili oil, optional Brown sugar, to taste, optional Crushed chile pepper flakes, to taste, optional 1/3 cup fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Directions

Pour the stock into a deep cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add the prepared lemongrass, including the upper sections of the stalk you didn't mince. Boil 5 to 6 minutes to soften.
Add carrot, garlic, onion, galangal or ginger, lime leaves, 1-1/2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Reduce heat slightly, cover, and continue simmering 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini, and continue simmering another 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cherry tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and plump.

Turn down the heat to low and add 1/4 can coconut milk, chile oil, and brown sugar and red pepper flakes to taste (if using). Add the remaining teaspoon of fish sauce or more chile oil to taste. Discard the lime or bay leaves and the zest, if using. Serve with fresh cilantro sprinkled over and enjoy.

Tip

While they can be messy to remove while eating, leaving the shells on shrimp adds infinitely more flavor to the soup. In Thailand, cooks sometimes remove the shells before cooking but add them to the soup, removing just before eating.

Variations

If you want to add some spice to your tom yum soup, we recommend adding chile oil, fresh chile, or chile flakes.
If this tom yum soup is too sour for your taste, add a little brown sugar.
If it turned out too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice.
Add more coconut milk if you want your soup richer/creamier or if it's too strong for your taste.