Hw 2 cook tom yum goong soup - Thai restaurant at your home

http://thaitomyum.blogspot.com/2008/05/easy-cooking-tom-yum-goong_21.html

Easy cooking : Tom yum goong

Tom Yum Goong Soup is a classic Thai cuisine which has been popular around the world. Tom Yum soup has potent combination of many herbs and spices with many health benefits. This Thai classic soup was under scientific study to proof its immune-boosting power against cold and flu.

Ingredients: Serve 2-3 people

• Clear broth or water 3 cups
• Shelled prawns, 10-12 raw
• Lemongrass, 2-3 stalks cut in pieces
• Kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole leaves
• Galangal root, rough cut in 4-5 pieces
• Straw mushrooms, 6-8 cut halved
• Small chilies, 2-3 whole or pounded
• Fish sauce 4 tablespoons
• Lime juice 4 tablespoons

Optional ingredients

• Coconut milk 1 cup
• Cherry tomatoes, 3-4 halved
• Holy basil, 4-5 leaves
• Thai chili paste (Nam-prik-proa in Thai) 1-2 tablespoons

Method:

1. Boil broth or water with all cut lemongrass, whole kaffir leave, cut galangal roots and pounded chillies by medium-high heat.
2. Once the water is boiling, add prawns, halved mushroom, cherry tomatoes (optional). Until shrimps turn orange (cooked through).
3. Turn off the heat, add fish sauce and lime juice.

+ IF you want to add coconut milk (optional), add it in step 2 boil altogether.

+ IF you want to holy basil leaves, add leaves when served in a bowl to preserve its spicy taste and aroma scent.

+ IF you want to add Nam-prik proa chilli sweet paste, add 1 tablespoon when served in a bowl.

Cooking Tips:

• All herbs: lemongrass, galangal root and chilli are quite spicy, you can adjust the taste by yourself
• Do not boil prawns too long, cook as instructed to add prawns when all ingredients boiling.
• Add lime juice as the final step after you turn off the heat to preserve its sour taste and scent.
• Rather than prawns, you may like to add squid, fish, shells etc. to make seafood tom yum.