Tom Yum Goong

Thailand's iconic hot and sour prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and fresh bird's eye chillies.

Tom yum goong is Thailand's most internationally recognised soup, described as the smell of Thailand — lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime creating an aromatic combination unlike anything else in world cuisine. The name means boiled (tom) sour (yum) prawns (goong). There are two versions: nam sai (clear broth) and nam khon (creamy with coconut milk). The critical technique is adding lime juice only after removing from heat — cooking lime juice makes it bitter. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, tom yum goong became a political metaphor in Thailand, the tom yum goong crisis referring to the economic collapse that began in Bangkok.

Use fresh galangal — not ginger. Prawns must be shell-on for maximum flavour. Add lime juice only after removing from heat or it turns bitter.