A Thai-inspired spicy sour soup based on prawns, with all the taste and aroma typical of this extraordinary gastronomic culture.

To accomplish this thai soup I took inspiration from tom yam (or tom yum), one of the most well-known Thai dishes, to which I made some modifications, especially regarding the ethnic ingredients that are more difficult to find in Italy.

Each ladle contains i typical flavors of Thailand: chili pepper, lemongrass and lime leaves. intense aromas that blend in the warm embrace of its broth, wonderfully delicious thanks to the fish sauce.

The secret to the success of this Thai soup is to balance all the sensations. It must be salty, spicy, citrusy and sweet at the same time and it is therefore essential to know how to expertly dose the fish sauce, chilli sauce, lime juice and sugar.

Of the different versions I chose the goong or kung, that is, with prawns, and with a more transparent broth, without the addition of condensed milk or coconut milk which makes it lighter and creamier. However, I added a touch of spiciness which lit up the broth, delicately scented with shellfish.

I like to serve it as a single dish, combined with rice noodles or simply a bowl of Basmati or Jasmine, or prepare it in small bowls and propose it as the opening of a more elaborate ethnic dinner.

The original ingredients and possible substitutions

Galangal

It is a herbaceous plant from the same family as ginger. The fresh root is very difficult to find, but the dried version is easier in powder*. In this recipe I replaced it with slices of fresh ginger.

Lemongrass

We also call it lemongrass, and it is a plant native to tropical Asia with a persistent lemon scent, used widely in cooking. We find it in various forms: fresh, dried in pieces or in powder. For this recipe I used dried lemongrass stems.

Lime leaves (kaffir or kaffir)

Citrus Hystrix also known as Kaffir lime or Combava is a plant with very fragrant leaves, used in oriental cuisine, particularly Thai cuisine. It goes without saying that, especially fresh ones, they are very difficult to find. I therefore advise you to opt for the dried leavesperfect for making herbal teas and relaxing hot drinks, or adding a citrus flavor to your soups.

Chilli paste

For the Thai prawn soup I used the thai chili paste “nam prik pao”*, a spicy sauce made from chilli pepper and fermented prawns. Alternatively you can use Sriracha sauce, harissa or Tabasco.

Fish sauce

It is a sauce obtained from the fermentation of fish (often anchovies or cuttlefish) and is an essential ingredient of South-East Asian cuisine. It has a very strong smell, unpleasant for some, but once added to the preparations, it gives that extra something that changes the flavor of the dish. The Italian variant that comes closest to the Asian “fish sauce” is the Cetara anchovy sauce, a liquid, amber sauce obtained from the maturation of anchovies.

In this recipe, however, I wanted to accentuate the flavor of the prawns and I used the Bauer shellfish sauce. It is a creamy and intense sauce based on lobster extract. Perfect for gravies and stews, lactose-free, glutamate-free, gluten-free and hydrogenated fat-free.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are often used for tom yum, in particular “oyster mushrooms”. If you can’t find them, you can buy cardoncelli (as in my case), Portobello or medium-large champignons.