Summer is officially upon us. As we seek more water, it is easy to lose appetite for meals. If you want to cook something light and refreshing for dinner, this recipe is the one.
Tom yum soup is my favorite Thai food. I find its flavor profile especially appealing during summer: sweet, sour, and spicy. Tomatoes provide this soup a sweet and sour base. But what makes this soup so interesting is an exotic combination of lemongrass, fish sauce, and cilantro.
If you have never used fish sauce from a fear of a stinky smell, this recipe may change your mind. Thanks to the aromatic spices and herbs (lemon grass, coriander, ginger, and cilantro), you will not notice unpleasant fish smell while enjoying this soup.
To deepen the umami flavor of fish sauce, I like to add a mixture of seafood to this soup. This tom yum soup is rather a simplified version of authentic recipes, while retaining its bold flavors. I hope you will find this recipe more friendly and less intimidating. Give it a try and let me know how you like it !
Ingredients for 4 servings
Lemongrass powder (1tsp)
Coriander powder (1tsp)
Ginger powder (1/4 tsp)
Red pepper powder (1-2 tsp)
Tomato paste (1 tsp)
Fish sauce (2 tsp)
A clove of garlic (sliced) One small potato (chopped)
Two sticks of celery (chopped)
8 oz of mushrooms (sliced)
Three plum tomatoes (chopped)
Half of an onion (sliced)
4 oz of frozen seafood mixture or shrimps
8 oz of bean sprouts
Half a bunch of cilantro (chopped)
Direction
Fill a small 2.5 QT saucepan with water until it reaches a half way to its top. Bring water to the boil over medium heat.
Add lemongrass, coriander, ginger, red pepper powder, tomato paste, and fish sauce to the soup.
Toss in celery and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.
Toss in potatoes, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Add shrimps/seafood and soybean sprouts and simmer the soup for a minute.
Remove the pot from the heat, add chopped cilantro, and serve the soup.
