Thai Soup · thai cuisine

Hot and Sour Tom Yum Goong

Name: Hot and Sour Tom Yum Goong
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500g large prawns, peeled, shells reserved; 1 litre stock or water; 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 5cm pieces; 6 slices galangal, 4 kaffir lime leaves torn; 6–8 Thai chillies, bruised; 150g mushrooms; 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp lime juice (to taste); 1 tsp chilli paste (nam prik pao) optional for depth; Coriander and spring onion to finish

Do not boil the herbs to death. Clear stock, bright lime at the end, prawns just opaque.

By Hasnain Khan · Tested in a home kitchen · Updated 2026-08-10

⏱ 30 min 👤 4 servings 🔥 Mild ⭐ 4.9 / 5

Recipe card

Prep20 min

Cook40 min

Total60 min

Yield4 servings

Rating4.9 / 5

Calories260

CuisineThai

CourseThai Soup

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Why this recipe works

Tom yum should clear your sinuses and make you chase the bowl. The aromatics are bruised, not minced into oblivion — lemongrass sticks, galangal slices, and torn lime leaves perfume the stock, then often get left in as edible decoration you nudge aside. I prefer clear tom yum for purity; nam khon (evaporated milk or a splash of coconut) is a creamy cousin. Either way, lime and fish sauce go in at the end so the fragrance stays vivid.

Expert kitchen tips

Galangal is not ginger — ginger changes the soup’s identity.
Bruise chillies to release heat without shredding seeds everywhere unless you want nuclear spice.

Ingredients

500g large prawns, peeled, shells reserved
1 litre stock or water
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 5cm pieces
6 slices galangal, 4 kaffir lime leaves torn
6–8 Thai chillies, bruised; 150g mushrooms
3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp lime juice (to taste)
1 tsp chilli paste (nam prik pao) optional for depth
Coriander and spring onion to finish

Step-by-step method

Simmer prawn shells in stock 10 minutes; strain for a sweet seafood base.
Add lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and chillies. Simmer 5 minutes to perfume.
Add mushrooms and nam prik pao if using. Add prawns and cook just until pink, 2–3 minutes.
Turn off heat. Season with fish sauce and lime juice. Taste for hot-sour-salty balance.
Finish with herbs. Serve immediately.

💡 What I do in my kitchen: always season lime off the boil. Boiling lime juice turns the broth dull and slightly bitter.

Estimated nutrition

About 260 calories per serving (based on 4 servings). Values are estimates for home cooks and vary by brands, oil used, and portion size — not lab-analysed.

Serving ideas & leftovers

Serve hot, taste for seasoning at the table, and store leftovers in an airtight container once cool. Most of these dishes reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stock, or the dish’s own sauce so the texture stays kind.

This recipe is original CookMe editorial content for home cooks. Nutrition varies by brands and portions. If you have allergies, check every label. CookMe may display ads via partners such as Mediavine; see our Privacy Policy and Advertising Disclosure.