Thai Recipe : Tom Yam Kung (Shrimp)

Among the various Thai dishes, the one that tops the most famous list has to be the Tom Yam soup. Loved by about just everybody that tries it, it has become another name for Thai food. For those who haven't tried it, here's your chance.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water or light chicken stock
• 8 oz. shrimps, shelled and divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 kaffir lime leaves (bai-ma-krut)
• 3 slices fresh or dried galangal (Kha)
• ¼ cup fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 stalks lemon grass (lower 1/3 portion only, cut into 1 inch lengths)
• 5 Hot green Thai chili peppers (optional)
• ½ cup sliced straw mushrooms
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tsp roasted chili paste
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

Directions:

1. Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce, lemon grass and shallots, then the mushrooms and chili peppers, if using. Simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and reheat to boiling
4. Cook until the shrimps are pink, opaque, and firm but no longer than 1 minutes.
5. When the shrimps are cooked, place the lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl. Pour the soup into the bowl, stir and garnish with cilantro leaves.