I Cooked Three Batches of Tom Yum. Here’s My Honest Take.

You know what? Tom yum is my comfort soup.
If you’re curious about the soup’s backstory, this concise rundown tracks how the hot-and-sour classic evolved from riverside kitchens to world fame.
It’s loud. Sour. Spicy. Bright. I made it three times last week, testing one full scratch recipe and two shortcut tweaks. I wanted that Bangkok street-stall taste, but in my small kitchen with a tired stove and a dog that keeps sniffing the lemongrass.

Did it work? Mostly. And I’ve got notes.
If you’d like the full play-by-play (with every triumph and misstep preserved), check out this deeper dive into my three tom yum batches.

The Recipe I Used (Two Ways)

I started with a scratch-style tom yum. Clear broth first. Then I tried a creamy version the next day. On night three, I tested a paste shortcut for a busy weeknight.

Before I grabbed my knife, I double-checked the proportions against this street-food stalwart’s recipe to make sure I wasn’t drifting too far from tradition.

Here’s the exact stuff I used in my 4-quart Lodge dutch oven:

Chicken stock: 5 cups (Swanson Low Sodium)
Lemongrass: 2 stalks, whacked and cut into 2-inch pieces
Galangal: 8 thin slices (I used frozen Aroy-D; thawed fine)
Makrut lime leaves: 6 leaves, torn
Thai bird’s eye chilies: 5 whole (I used 7 once. My lips said no.)
Fish sauce: 3 tablespoons (Red Boat; I added 1 more at the end)
Lime juice: 1/4 cup fresh (about 3 juicy limes)
Shrimp: 1 pound, 21/25 size, shell-on from Costco (I peeled and saved the shells)
Mushrooms: 1 can straw mushrooms (Aroy-D) plus 1 cup sliced white mushrooms
Cilantro stems: a small handful, chopped
Optional: 1 tablespoon Nam Prik Pao (Mae Pranom chili paste in oil)
For creamy version (Nam Khon): 1/3 cup evaporated milk (Carnation)

Shortcut batch on night three:

4 cups water + 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base
2 heaping tablespoons Maesri Tom Yum paste
Same shrimp, mushrooms, lime juice bump at the end

How It Went in My Kitchen

First try, I did a tiny extra step that paid off. I toasted the shrimp shells in the pot for 2 minutes. No oil. Just a stir. They turned pink and smelled ocean-sweet. I added the stock, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chilies, and cilantro stems. Simmered 12 minutes. Not a boil—just a steady bubble.

I strained the broth. Then I put it back in the pot with mushrooms. Two minutes. Shrimp in. One and a half minutes. Heat off. Lime juice and fish sauce in last. I know that sounds bossy, but don’t heat the lime too long. It goes dull.

Night two, I added evaporated milk and a spoon of Nam Prik Pao right after the strain. Creamy, orange, and a touch sweet. My kid dunked jasmine rice in it like it was a sauce. I didn’t even plan that part.

Night three, I used the paste. Fast. Almost no chopping. Took 15 minutes soup to bowl. I’ll be real—good for a Tuesday, but not as deep as the scratch pot.

Taste Test: Did It Hit?

Clear version: Bright and clean. Citrus pop. A little wild from the galangal. Heat at the back of the throat. I kept slurping.
Creamy version: Rich and round, like someone put a small comfort blanket on the soup. The chili paste gave a roasted note. Not heavy.
Paste version: Solid. A bit one-note until I added extra lime juice and a splash more fish sauce. Then it woke up.

My husband said the clear one “tastes like vacation.” He also said it was “kind of mean” on spice. Fair. I used five chilies and didn’t crack them. Crack them if you want more heat. Leave them whole if you want less.

Craving something that’s spicy in a totally different way? If you ever feel like taking the heat from the stovetop to your phone, you might enjoy reading this detailed SnapSext review—it breaks down features, safety tips, and pricing so you can decide if the popular sext-messaging app is worth your time.

What I Loved

The shrimp shell toast trick gave body without extra salt.
Lime added off heat stayed bright.
Evaporated milk made it plush but still light.
Maesri paste saved me when I was tired and still wanted soup.

What Bugged Me

Galangal was hard to find fresh. My local store only had frozen. It worked, but the scent was softer.
Straw mushrooms can taste tinny if you don’t rinse them well. Rinse twice.
I once boiled the shrimp by accident. They went rubbery fast. Watch the clock.

Real Substitutions I Tried (And If They Worked)

No galangal? I did 6 slices of ginger plus a strip of lime zest. Not the same, but close enough for a weeknight. I missed the piney bite.
No makrut lime leaves? I added an extra tablespoon lime juice and a small pinch of lime zest. It helped.
Veggie version: I swapped shrimp for firm tofu cubes and added 1 tablespoon soy sauce with the fish sauce cut in half. It was tasty, but I wanted more aroma—add extra lemongrass if you go this way.
Mushrooms: When I ran out of straw mushrooms, I used sliced cremini. Worked fine. Different chew, still good.

Prefer poultry to seafood? My week of thin-sliced chicken breast experiments proved that quick-cooking cuts soak up tom yum’s lime–lemongrass punch beautifully.

Quick Steps I’d Hand to a Friend

Toast shrimp shells 2 minutes in the pot (skip if no shells).
Add stock, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chilies, cilantro stems. Simmer 10–12 minutes.
Strain. Return broth. Add mushrooms 2 minutes.
Add shrimp 1–2 minutes. Turn off heat.
Stir in fish sauce and fresh lime juice. Taste. Adjust salt/acid.
For creamy style, stir in evaporated milk and Nam Prik Pao right after straining, before shrimp.

Time, Cost, and Shopping Notes

Time: Scratch pot took me 35 minutes. Paste version, 15 minutes tops.
Cost: Around $16 for four bowls with shrimp. Cheaper without shrimp.
Where I found stuff: H Mart had frozen galangal and lime leaves. Whole Foods had lemongrass. Costco had shrimp. My corner market had limes and cilantro.
If you’d rather sample a chef’s rendition before diving in at home, swing by Roosterfish Bar for a vibrant bowl of tom yum paired with clever cocktails.

On a lighter (and slightly cheeky) note, if stocking up on galangal, shrimp, and fancy fish sauce has your grocery budget begging for backup—and you happen to live in the First State—you might be intrigued by this local guide to finding a sugar daddy in Delaware that explains the best meet-up spots, outlines safety practices, and shares insider tips for arranging mutually beneficial support so your next tom yum feast practically funds itself.

Seafood curious beyond shrimp? My recent crawfish recipe testing spree convinced me those sweet little tails would shine in this broth too.

Small side note: I tried serving it with sticky rice once. Strange but fun. Jasmine rice works better though.

Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner

Don’t boil the lime juice. Add it at the end.
Keep some chilies whole for aroma, and one sliced for heat control.
Tear lime leaves to release the oils, but don’t shred them. They’re not great to chew.
Taste for balance: salt from fish sauce, sour from lime, heat from chili. If it’s flat, add a splash of fish sauce. If it’s harsh, add a squeeze of lime.
Let the soup sit 5 minutes before serving. The aroma blooms.

Small Oops, Big Lesson

I once cut the lemongrass too thin and left it in the bowl. Chewy bits ruined the spoonful. Now I cut big chunks so folks can push them aside. It seems fussy, but it saved the meal.

My Verdict (And Who Should Make It)

I give the scratch recipe