Tom yum goong

Cook it at home: Tom yum goong (hot and sour prawn soup)

The deepest flavor comes from the prawn heads and shells, so buy whole, shell-on prawns and make a quick stock first. The herbs are for flavor, not for eating; leave them in the bowl.

Pans and tools

• Large saucepan
• Second pot for the strained stock
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Chef's knife

You’ll need

• 1 lb (450 g) large whole shell-on prawns (about 12)
• 5 cups (1.2 l) water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 stalks lemongrass, bottom 6 inches only
• 1 thumb (about 2 inches / 5 cm) fresh galangal, thinly sliced (ginger in a pinch)
• 6 makrut lime leaves, torn, center ribs removed
• 4 to 8 fresh Thai bird's-eye chilies, lightly crushed
• 3 small shallots, halved and bruised
• 8 oz (225 g) oyster or straw mushrooms, torn or halved
• 2 tbsp nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
• 3 to 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 to 5 tbsp fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) evaporated milk (optional, for the creamy nam khon style)
• A handful of cilantro leaves and sawtooth coriander, if you find it
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Steps

1. Peel the prawns, leaving the tails on. Pull off the heads and keep them with the shells. Devein the prawns, cover and refrigerate.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the heads and shells and cook, pressing the heads with a spoon, for 3 to 4 minutes until bright orange and fragrant.
3. Add the water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain into a clean pot, pressing hard on the shells. You should have about 4 cups of stock.
4. While the stock simmers, smash the lemongrass with the back of a knife and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Tear the lime leaves and crush the chilies.
5. Bring the stock back to a boil. Add the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and shallots and simmer 4 minutes, until the kitchen smells strongly of lemongrass.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the nam prik pao, 3 tbsp fish sauce and the sugar.
7. Add the prawns and the chilies and cook just until the prawns turn pink and curl, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Take the pot off the heat right away so they stay tender.
8. Stir in the evaporated milk if using, then the lime juice. Lime juice goes in off the heat: boiled, it turns bitter.
9. Taste and balance: it should be clearly sour first, then salty, then hot. Add more lime, fish sauce or a crushed chili until it tastes loud. Ladle into bowls, scatter with cilantro and serve with rice.

Contains: Shellfish, fish, milk (optional).