Thai Hot and Sour Soup (Tom Yum)

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Shrimp, straw mushrooms, galangal, and Thai chiles bring classic flavor to this Thai hot and sour, or tom yum, soup.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp
9 1/2 cups water, divided
1/2 cup chopped galangal
1/2 cup lemon grass, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 kaffir lime leaves
2 (15 ounce) cans whole straw mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons red curry paste (such as Thai Kitchen®)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 Thai chile peppers, sliced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 medium limes, juiced

Directions

1 Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells.
2 Combine shrimp shells and 6 cups water in a large saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes. Add galangal, lemon grass, and lime leaves; simmer 15 minutes more.
3 Strain broth mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.
4 Return broth mixture to the pan. Add remaining 3 1/2 cups water, mushrooms, curry paste, fish sauce, and chiles; bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp, green onions, and cilantro; cook until shrimp are bright pink and firm, about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh lime juice and serve.