Thai Tom Yum (Prawn) Soup

I think this is the more authentic Tom Yum Soup I have ever made. And this soup is really, really, as in, REALLY spicy! I used the Tom Yum paste that I bought in Thailand the last time we went there. (You can read about our Thailand foodie adventure here.) And I confess my little family cannot take the intensity of the heat. But then, we are not Thais of course. We prefer the local Pinoy version of the Tom Yum I made here. :) But for those who can take the heat, the real Tom Yum paste would satisfy your tongue. :)


400 gms prawns, cleaned
1 pack (single serving size) Tom Yum paste
5 slices fresh ginger
5 T minced garlic
2 stalks of lemongrass (the white part only), cut into 2", pounded with back of the cleaver
8 C water
1/2 C straw mushrooms, sliced (can substitute with button mushrooms)
1 bunch coriander leaves (wansuy), cleaned very well
fish sauce and/or salt to taste


1. In a wok or a deep pan, saute the ginger slices in a little oil until slightly brown. Saute the garlic until fragrant but not burnt.

2. Add in the prawns and stir fry for a minute or two. Add in the tom yum paste, button mushrooms and lemon grass. Add in the water for soup. (Actually, the instructions on the tom yum package says to add only 4 C of water. But after cooking, we found it too spicy for our taste, so we kept on adding more water and more fish sauce... yes, double the amount of water needed!)

3. Let boil and simmer until the prawns are pink and cooked. Do not overcook the prawns. Add the coriander leaves before serving.


This is actually a very easy dish to prepare. You will feel like a you're in a science laboratory simply adding this and that ingredient to the pot and waiting for the concoction to boil :) Next time, I will only use half a pack to lessen the heat. :)


The lemongrass are harvested from the pots of my balcony garden. I should have coriander as well, but my coriander plant recently dried up because of the intense summer heat!!! So I have to purchase coriander leaves... something I have not done in a long, long time.


Sharing this hot soup with the Grow Your Own community, headed by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes. This month's edition is hosted by Nate and Annie over at the House of Annie. Check out the round-up at the end of the month.