Making Tom Yam Goong (Thailand Food)

Tom Yam Goong, also known as Tom Yum Goong, is a popular Thai soup that features a combination of spicy, sour, and aromatic flavors. It is typically made with shrimp, but you can also use other seafood or even chicken as a substitute. Here's a simple recipe to make Tom Yam Goong:

Ingredients:

1-1.5 liters of water or chicken stock

2-400g shrimp (peeled and deveined)

3-200g mushrooms (sliced)

4-2 stalks of lemongrass (bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces)

5-3-4 kaffir lime leaves (torn into pieces)

6-3-4 slices of galangal (or ginger if galangal is not available)

7-3-4 bird's eye chilies (adjust according to your spice preference)

8-2 tablespoons fish sauce

9-2 tablespoons lime juice

10-1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional)

11-1 teaspoon sugar

12-A handful of cilantro leaves (chopped)

13-Salt to taste

Instructions:

In a pot, bring the water or chicken stock to a boil.

Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal slices to the pot. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes to infuse the flavors into the broth.

Add the mushrooms to the pot and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp to the pot and cook until they turn pink and are cooked through, usually 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste (if using), sugar, and salt. Adjust the flavors to your liking by adding more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice for sourness, or sugar for sweetness.

Add the bird's eye chilies to the pot. You can either leave them whole for a milder flavor or slightly crush them for a spicier soup. Remember to remove them before serving if you don't want the soup to be too spicy.

Remove the pot from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve the Tom Yam Goong hot as a soup alongside steamed rice or as a standalone dish.

Note: Tom Yam Goong is a versatile soup, and you can customize it according to your preferences. You can add additional ingredients such as vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, baby corn, or bell peppers) or herbs (e.g., Thai basil) to enhance the flavor. Also, feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chilies. Enjoy your homemade Tom Yam Goong!