Creamy Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้งนำ้ข้น has become very popular in Thailand in the past several years. It's the richer, more voluptuous sister of the classic "clear broth" tom yum goong. In this video I also review basic techniques and ingredients essential in making the best tom yum possible!
When it comes to Thai soups, tom yum is indisputably the most popular, and many would argue the most delicious, soup there is. It happens to also be a very easy recipe you can whip up on a weeknight, and all the herbs I used, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, can call be frozen and you can quickly throw them in directly from the freezer.
Also check out my other tom yum recipes, I have recipes for tom yum chicken, tom yum fish and also vegetarian/vegan tom yum.
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Tom Yum Goong Recipe (Creamy Version)
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
A creamier, richer (and possibly my favorite) version of the popular Thai tom yum soup!
Ingredients
- 350g medium sized shrimp, shell-on, head-on if possible
- 4 cups water (or use 3 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock if not using shell on shrimp)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bottom half only (see note)
- 10 pc galangal, cut into thin rounds
- 6 kaffir lime leaves
- Thai chilies, to taste
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 3-4 cups oyster mushrooms, straw mushrooms, or another Asian mushroom
- ¼ cup Thai chili paste (nam prik pao)
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice
- A big handful of chopped sawtooth coriander (culantro) or cilantro
- Jasmine rice for serving
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Instructions
Rinse shrimp well, then peel and devein them (see video for a cool deveining trick!) and place all heads and shells into a stock pot. Put the pot over medium high heat and saute the shrimp shells until stuff that sticks to the pot starts to brown slightly. It should smell like shrimp on the grill!
Add water, scrape off the browned bits that are stuck to the pot, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then, use a slotted skimmer to remove the shells, making sure to drain off as much of the liquid as you can.
If using chicken stock, start from here:
Smash lemongrass and cut into chunks. Roughly tear the kaffir lime leaves. Finely chop the chilies or pound in a mortar and pestle into a paste.
Bring the stock to a simmer, then add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and chilies (if you pounded the chilies, rinse the mortar with some of the stock to make sure you get all the chili bits into the pot). Simmer for 5 minutes. Note: The herbs are not meant to be eaten, so at this point you can either fish them out, but I like to leave some in there for garnish. Just be sure to tell your guests not to eat them!
Add evaporated milk and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes or until mushrooms are done.
Add chili paste and fish sauce, and stir to dissolve the chili paste. Add shrimp meat and cook just until done, 30 seconds or so.
Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down slightly, just for a minute, so it is not simmering or boiling. Add lime juice while stirring.
Stir in sawtooth coriander or cilantro, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve, you can pour the soup over rice, add rice to the soup bowl, or have the soup on the side as part of a bigger meal. Enjoy!
Notes
I save the top half of lemongrass to use in stock or tea, but if you don't want to save it for anything, you can just throw them into the soup.
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Hussain A Nalwala says
Hi....
I read your Tom Yom recipe and then saw your video a few times. Then I tried it our exactly the same way you have explained. It turned out perfectly well. Much better then what we get in the restaurants here in Dubai. Thank you for sharing it with us.
William says
Wicked. So tasty...I could go on and on.
Shz says
my bro challenged me to make creamy tom yum soup and i found your recipe. He was skeptical when he saw me cooking this coz I don't cook well. Results: He can't believe this taste so good. Now this and Tom Kha Gai is my go-to recipe whenever we want soup.
Uncle Daybid says
As good as the ones I’d had from the restaurants around me. You can’t go wrong with her recipes! I’ve made 3 dishes and they’ve all been great.
Luke says
Hi, Can you possibly create a dumbed down western version recipe using the Knor Tom Yum bullion cubes and/or Tom Yum paste? Many of the traditional ingredients are impossible to find outside big city Asian markets. These cubes and pastes can be ordered on Amazon. Ingredients like galangal, lemongrass, kafir lime leaves etc not available outside big city markets. It's two hour drive to nearest Asian market that stocks these ingredients. I visited Thailand many times and love Tom Yum. In Pattaya most restaurants use coconut milk not evaporated milk. Thanks
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Request noted!
luke says
Hi. I know about the Knorr Tom Yum cubes and Tom Yum Pastes because I seen them in Big C market Pattaya. My Thai friends buy them to make Tom Yum. I just don't know how they substitute or if in place of traditional ingredients like galangal, lemon grass, and kafir lime leaves? It seems to me these flavorings are some sort of substitutes? If yes it would be great if you could make a dumbed down recipe for us that don't have access to fresh ingredients. I'm sure not as good as real herbs just an alternative. Thanks
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! Those are instant broth cubes/pastes, so you just add water and meat and veg, just like instant noodles. There will be instructions on the back of the package for ratios that you can follow.
LP says
Could you please tell me if it's regular evaporated milk or the 2% version?
Thanks
Heather says
I’ve been making this for several years and I never thought to make a review. First thing I’ll mention is the importance of getting shrimp with all its armor and head intact. That orange goo in the head is what makes this dish. I also love the store bought nam prik pao, but one day I will push myself to make the homemade recipe suggested, but haven’t yet. This soup is a staple in my home. We go to the Vietnamese market (IN INDIANA!) on Friday afternoon when they get their truck and we are able to get the fresh galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, Thai chilis, oyster mushrooms and whole shrimp. The rest are staples in our home. I have never changed the recipe or strayed from the technique and it is better than any restaurant Tom Yum Goong or simple Tom Yum. Thanks for sharing!
Lyle says
When I was living in Nakhon si Thammarat we often found fresh tomatoes, white onion and I think even spring onion (green onion) in our Tom Yum Goong. Is that a different recipe or just a preference of the chef? Also I have found straw mushrooms canned at my local Asian market, would they be better than fresh oyster mushrooms or would you only use oyster or both? Thanks!
Lina says
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
However did anyone experience sever curdling when adding the evaporated milk?
Junaidi says
Her video should have the answer to your question
Shir says
hi!
how would it be to add coconut milk instead of the evaporated milk?
thanks
Shir
Junaidi says
No harm, but it wont taste the same. Theres another similar dish, that uses coconut milk instead.
Nez Wright says
So so so so good!
I didn't put in the evaporated milk as I'm allergic to dairy but it tasted I credible. Plopped my rice in the middle
Sabrina Haq says
This is the easiest recipie to follow and taste amazing. It is way better than any tom yum soup I had at a thai restaurant. It taste like the authentic version found on the streets of Thailand!!
Stephen Chan says
There are many types of Tom Yum soups, but Goong is always the most popular. Making it at home is like a barbecue party, as the grilling shrimp will perfume you kitchen or even your entire home. And the creamy texture? So mouth watering!
Alistair Clapp says
Absolutely superb - I couldn't source fresh galangal but found a pot of galangal paste at a local supermarket - 1 tsp was enough to get the right balance 🙂
Luke Parlor says
What can I say, other than since I first made this for my wife earlier this year, it has been requested again and again and again. It is incredibly delicious, so rich, creamy and packed full of flavour. Its a winner.