I love Thailand and I love Thai food. On a recent visit we decided to get the low-down on Tom Yum Kung, or Tom Yum Goon as it’s sometimes known in Australia, and the most well-known dish on Thai menus. This hot and sour soup includes enormous prawns and is a popular starter for most meals and comes in a number of variations including Tom Yum Hed (vegetarian but contains mushrooms), Tom Yum Paa (with chicken), Tom Yum Thale (mixed seafood), and Tom Yum Nam Khon—a creamy version that contains coconut milk. After sampling the classic (Kung) dish in a number of Bangkok restaurants we finally managed to get the secret from Tip Top Restaurant at the Pat Pong Market.

Traditional Tom Yum Kung

Hot and sour is the key to the soup and the main flavours come from chilli and lime. But there are also undertones of salt and this comes from the fish and soy sauces, and you should be able to detect the chilli, lime, salt, and to some extent ginger, in every spoonful of Tom Yum. Continue reading →