Thailand Menu

Kung Tom Yam

This is a hot and sour prawn soup with a pronounced citrus flavor. Lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves can be found at Thai grocery stores. However, kaffir lime leaves aren’t always available. If you can’t get them you can substitute other varieties of citrus leaf.

  1. 1 pound raw Prawns
  2. 1 Tablespoon Oil
  3. 4 cups Water
  4. ½ teaspoon Salt
  5. 1 stalk Lemon Grass, cut into 4 inch pieces
  6. 2 Kaffir Lime Leaves
  7. 1 Chili Pepper, cut in half lengthwise
  8. 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
  9. 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed Lime Juice
  10. 1 fresh Red Chili Pepper, sliced
  11. 1 Tablespoon chopped Cilantro
  12. 2 green Onions, chopped

Shell and de-vein prawns. Rinse the shells, then fry them in the oil until they turn pink. Add water, salt, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and whole chili peppers. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain the stock, return to boil and turn off the heat. Add the prawns and allow them to cook under the residual heat. Add fish sauce, lime juice, red chili pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Taste for adequate saltiness and sourness, adjust as needed with more fish sauce and lime juice. The soup is now ready to serve.