Tom Yum Goong

also called tom yum · tom yam · tom yum kung · tom yam goong · hot and sour shrimp soup · tom yum soup · tom yum nam sai

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Tom Yum Goong: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
1 cup(from 1 lb shell-on shrimp)shrimp heads and shellsfry the shells 3 minsimmer 15 min, then strainsteep 10 minpoach 3 minseason off the heat
1 Tbsvegetable oil
6 cups(1.4 L)water
3 stalks(bruised and cut into lengths)lemongrass
8 slices(fresh or frozen; not ginger)galangal
6(torn)makrut lime leaves
1 lb(450 g; peeled)shrimp
4 oz(115 g; torn)oyster mushrooms
3 Tbsfish sauce
1/4 cup(60 mL)lime juice
5(crushed)Thai chiles
1/4 cupcilantro
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.13 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry the shells 3 min

2simmer 15 min, then strain

goes in with what step 1 made

3steep 10 min

goes in with what step 2 made

4poach 3 min

goes in with what step 3 made

5season off the heat

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 31 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
3 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 45 min.

  1. fry the shells 3 min

    3 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. simmer 15 min, then strain

    15 minwalk away3 min in

  3. steep 10 min

    10 minwalk away18 min in

  4. poach 3 min

    3 minwalk away28 min in

  5. season off the heat

    not timed31 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need saucepan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Tom Yum Goong
>> category: Soups
>> tags: shrimp, thai, sour, chiles, stovetop
>> counters: Thai Kitchen
>> aka: tom yum, tom yam, tom yum kung, tom yam goong, hot and sour shrimp soup, tom yum soup, tom yum nam sai
>> pairs-with: tom-kha-gai
>> servings: 4
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: fry the shells 3 min
>> step.2: simmer 15 min, then strain
>> step.3: steep 10 min
>> step.4: poach 3 min
>> step.5: season off the heat

Fry @shrimp heads and shells{1%cup}(from 1 lb shell-on shrimp) in @vegetable oil{1%Tbs} in a #saucepan{} over medium heat for ~fry{3%min}, pressing them until they turn red and the oil goes orange. This is where the flavour of the dish comes from, and it is thrown away in most versions of it.

Simmer @&(~1)shells{} in @water{6%cups}(1.4 L) for ~simmer{15%min}, then strain the stock and put it back in the pan.

Steep @lemongrass{3%stalks}(bruised and cut into lengths), @galangal{8%slices}(fresh or frozen; not ginger) and @makrut lime leaves{6}(torn) in @&(~1)stock{} for ~steep{10%min}. The aromatics are the same three as tom kha gai; the difference is that nothing creamy follows them.

Poach @shrimp{1%lb}(450 g; peeled) and @oyster mushrooms{4%oz}(115 g; torn) in @&(~1)broth{} for ~poach{3%min}, until the shrimp curl and go opaque.

Season @&(~1)soup{} off the heat with @fish sauce{3%Tbs}, @lime juice{1/4%cup}(60 mL), @Thai chiles{5}(crushed) and @cilantro{1/4%cup}. This is the clear one — nam sai. Lime goes in off the heat every time, because a boiled lime turns bitter.