Tom Yum Goong

Rated one of the top 10 soups in the world

Ingredients:

• 4 stalks, Lemongrass
• 6 leaves, Kaffir lime
• 5 pieces, Galangal – peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 pound, Shrimp – unpeeled
• 8 ounces, mushrooms – optional
• 2 limes – juiced
• 2 tablespoons, fish sauce
• 6 cups, chicken stock
• salt
• 2 tablespoons, green onion – sliced 1/4′′
• 2 tablespoons, cilantro – coarsely chopped
• 5 pods, Thai chilies – optional
• 3 tablespoons, Nam Phrik Pao
• 1/2 cup, coconut milk – optional
• 3 tomatoes – quartered optional

Directions:

FOR SOUP:

Peel and devein shrimp reserving shells.

In a Dutch oven, bring stock to a boil. Tie shrimp shells in a cheese cloth sack.

Add shells to boiling broth.

Crush lemongrass with a mallet and cut them down to fit your pot. Cut diagonal slits in lemongrass leaving them whole.

Tear Kaffir leaves. Using cheese cloth and string, create a bouquet garni with the lemongrass stalks, Kaffir leaves and the galangal slices.

Add the bouquet garni to the pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Season the soup with fish sauce and additional salt to taste. Remove the shrimp shells but leave the bouquet garni.

Increase heat to high and add the shrimp and mushrooms and tomatoes if using. Bring to a boil then take it off the heat.

Add Nam Phrik Pao, crushed chilies (if using), lime juice (to taste), and coconut milk if using.

Just before serving remove bouquet garni and add green onion and cilantro.

Serve with white rice or rice noodles.

FOR NOODLES:

Boil water. Place noodles in a strainer inside a larger bowl.

Pour boiling water over noodles until covered and let sit for 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Remove colander and rinse with cool water briefly. Separate the noodles now or they will stick together.

Place in serving bowl and ladle soup
over.