Tom Yum is both hot and sour, and it's one of the main signature dishes that defines Thai flavour. We've perfected this recipe and assure you it tastes great  Ingredients

20 prawns (shrimp), medium size
4-5 cups soup stock
2 stalks Fresh lemon grass lightly pounded, cut into 1 inch long segments
4 table spoons Squid brand Fish Sauce
1/3 cup sliced Fresh Galangal
1/2 cup Straw Mushrooms, halved or whole
6-8 fresh Lime Leaf shredded
4 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
6 crushed Fresh Thai red Chilli double if you like it spicy
2 tablespoons Mae ploy Chilli in Oil
Fresh Thai Coriander for garnish

Method

Wash the prawns and shell them without removing the tails. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves. Bring back to a boil then add mushrooms, fish sauce, prik pao and lime juice. Add prawns and fresh chilli peppers. As soon as prawns turn pink (cooked through) serve garnished with cilantro.

Note that a rather simple and effective way to make this dish is with a ready-made tom yum paste. The Thai Way has two options for you. We recommend you order our Mae Ploy Tom Yum Paste imported from Thailand and a very good quality product. Add two tablespoons Tom Yum Paste to three cups boiling water, add 1.5 teaspoons salt, add mushrooms and prawns, add 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, add 5-7 Thai Chilli and Spring onions, and serve garnished with Coriander .

An alternative to Tom Yum Paste is our Ready made Soup in a can which you can use to make the above soup. Both alternatives also add fragrant, delicious Tom Yum flavour to just about any kind of noodles, and both are quite popular in creating "fusion" type Pan-Asian foods blending Thai and western foods.