Ingredients
Serves 1
2 large green king prawns
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
500ml water or stock
10g galangal, sliced
15g lemon grass, sliced
2 kaffir lime leaves
4 birdseye chilli, sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
5 cherry tomatoes
¼ cup coriander leaves
Method
Remove heads from prawns and set aside. Peel and remove vein from prawns.
Heat oil in a wok, add the prawn heads and squash into the wok to release the flavour and any coral that may be in the head. Add the stock, galangal, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Finally add the prawns, chilli, lime juice and fish sauce and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through. Remove the heads from the soup and discard. Check the seasoning as it may need a dash more fish stock.
Serve in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes and coriander.
Anthony's notes:
This is my way of doing Tom Yum Goong. It is how I made the soup to order in the restaurant (Goong means prawn).
Galangal is a type of rhizome which ginger and turmeric are a member as well as other non edible plants.
Lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaf are an integral part of Thai cuisine.
The YUK part of the soup is to do with the smashing of the prawn heads in the wok to release the flavour and enhance the soup. Which means it´s not YUK it is YUM
This is a classic hot, sour and salty soup, Hot = Chilli, Sour = lime juice, Salty = fish sauce.
Coriander is optional.
Cherry tomatoes are also optional as they are a late introduced ingredient in the Thai repertoire, yet very well received by local Thai cooks.
This soup is traditionally served hot (spicy) but can be served mild, use half a chilli or none at all.
Rice is served on the side to counter the heat and make it more of a meal.