Thai: Tom Yum Soup

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 4)

This is the very popular Thai version of hot and sour soup made with a seafood broth. All Thai dishes have big and bold flavors, and this soup is no exception. Even though the ingredient list is long, this is a very easy recipe that can be made in 20 minutes. Like most Asian soups, garlic and ginger are essential ingredients, but what makes this soup distinctively Thai is the addition of lemongrass and coconut milk.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups oyster mushroom, cut or tear large ones into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups water (or clam juice)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemongrass, minced (1 or 2 stalks, use only the tender white part); or substitute pre-minced frozen
• 12 thin slices of fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (“nam pla”)
• 3 tablespoons shrimp bouillon/powder (omit if using clam juice)
• 2 tablespoons ginger paste
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• Approx 3 tablespoons Tom Yum paste (to taste); or substitute Thai chili paste
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 12 medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (for garnish)
• Fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)

Procedure:

1. In a saucepan, saute mushrooms in butter, cover and let steam until cooked (about 2 minutes); set aside
2. In a soup pot, saute garlic in olive oil briefly (about 1 minute)
3. Add water, lemongrass, sliced ginger, fish sauce, shrimp bouillon (or powder), ginger paste; bring to boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes
4. Add cooked mushrooms and coconut milk, bring the soup back to a boil
5. Slowly add Tom Yum paste (or Thai chili paste), taste often until the spiciness is to your liking
6. Add lime juice and agave nectar
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking
8. Add the shrimp and when the soup just starts to bubble again, turn off the heat (the residual heat of the soup will finish cooking the shrimp completely in about 1 minute, the shrimp is done when it starts to curl and turns white)
9. To serve: garnish each bowl with cilantro leaves and jalapeno pepper