Yes, Tom Yum Soup is Spicy. Yes, you should make yours Spicy too<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re on this article, then you already have some interest in making Tom Yum Soup. So, you should know that this is a spicy dish. Which is great! The heat in this Soup is what defines it, and perhaps why it is so beloved and famous. It\u2019s not an overwhelming heat, but the heat is prominent in the Soup. There are no short cuts here, if you\u2019re making Tom Yum Soup at home then it needs to be spicy!
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The heat in our Easy Tom Yum Soup comes from the addition of fresh Red Chilis. Cut them up finely and keep those seeds and add them to the Soup. Along with the Chilis, the traditional way to add more spice to the dish is by using Thai Chili Paste
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You should be able to find Thai Chili Paste in the Asian section of your grocery store. You can really use any kind of Chili Paste or Chili Sauce as a substitute. We ended up using Sambal for our recipe and it came out great
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When adding spice to the Soup we recommend adding little bits at a time and taste as you go. It\u2019s always easier to add more spice to a dish than to try and dull out a dish that\u2019s too spicy. The right heat level for Tom Yum Soup is a present, but not overwhelming heat
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The key to a great Tom Yum Soup lies in the Broth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is a Soup after all, so all the flavor lies in the broth. For our Easy Tom Yum Soup we are using Chicken Stock as the base, and to that we add aromatics of Lemongrass, Ginger, and Chili. These aromatics sit in the stock that is running at a simmer on the stovetop for about 10 minutes to infuse their flavors
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It\u2019s amazing what just 10 minutes of infusing can do the Chicken Stock. The powerful flavors of Lemongrass and Ginger are so prominent in the broth, and you\u2019ll think that it\u2019s taken hours or even days to get that level of flavor!
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Of course, we recommend using homemade Chicken Stock when making this dish. You can use one of several of our Chicken Stock recipes located here<\/a>, which will elevate and transform your Soup. Chicken Stock is the traditional ingredient to make Tom Yum Soup, but you can also use Vegetable or even Shrimp Stock in your version at home After 10 minutes of infusing, it\u2019s time to add some Veggies and Protein to our Easy Tom Yum Soup. We recommend using Shrimp as the protein. It\u2019s a traditional ingredient in the dish and takes very little time to cook. This is great, because you can add the Shrimp into the Soup at the same time as your Vegetables and they\u2019ll cook at the same time. The Shrimp is a great gauge on the doneness of the dish too, as you can tell by how it looks whether its completely cooked or not. Once the Shrimp turns a beautiful pink color, it\u2019s done. Depending on the size of your Shrimp this will take about 5 \u2013 7 minutes. Just keep your eye on them when they\u2019re cooking to avoid overcooking them You can also use Chicken or even Beef in the Soup. While not as traditional, it\u2019s going to still taste great. I would recommend cutting them into thin slices so they cook quickly so you can follow the same times outlined in the recipe below where we use Shrimp More traditional ingredients that are added to Tom Yum Soup are the combination of Oyster Mushrooms and Tomatoes. I find Tomatoes a little weird in the soup to be honest, but they do add a lovely flavor and texture to the dish. Cherry Tomatoes work great, because you can add them whole and they\u2019ll burst in the mouth when eaten, which is always fun! Oyster Mushrooms are the perfect addition to our Easy Tom Yum Soup. They have a beautiful, meaty quality and absorb all the wonderful flavor of the broth when they are poached in the liquid. You can use any kind of Mushroom you like, but we highly recommend Oyster Mushrooms Once your Shrimp is cooked the Soup is ready to come off the heat, but it\u2019s not done yet! The final touches to this spicy Soup are a generous amount of Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, and Sugar. This classic pairing of flavors is very common in Thai cuisine, and gives the Soup its hallmark sweet and sour flavors Don\u2019t be shy when adding these ingredients either and always taste as you go. You want a beautiful balance of Sweet and Sour, but each flavor should be powerfully prominent in the dish. Once done, you\u2019re ready to serve! Add some Cilantro to the bowl and it\u2019s ready to enjoy Adding Coconut Milk to the Soup will turn it into another classic Thai Soup known as ‘Tom Kha Gai’ While traditional Tom Yum Soup does not include Coconut Milk, it is a popular addition to the Soup in many recipes. Adding about 200ml of Coconut Milk to the Soup will give it a creamier, more luscious flavor. For our recipe we\u2019re not including Coconut Milk, and keeping our Easy Tom Yum Soup very traditional Adding Coconut Milk to a Thai-style soup like this will turn it more into a traditional Tom Kha Gai. This dish is very similar, with a flavored Broth filled with spices, aromatics, and Seafood. If you want to cook a Tom Kha Gai (which we highly recommend trying!) then check out our dedicated recipe here<\/a>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce the Broth is ready, it\u2019s time to add some Vegetables and Protein<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Along with the Shrimp, add Oyster Mushrooms and Tomatoes to the Soup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinishing the Soup, more classic Thai ingredients are added<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou can also add Coconut Milk to the dish for a creamier, more luscious Soup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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