Tom yum is perhaps the most famous of all Thai soups. It is a hot and sour soup flavored with fish sauce, shallots, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, tamarind and chilies.
There are several variants of tom yum depending on the soup ingredients. The soup may be clear (without coconut milk) or with coconut milk (called tom yum num khon). The most famous variety of tom yum is tom yum goong, where the main ingredients are shrimp and mushrooms ,with shrimp fat added for taste and a milky look. Other varieties are also available, such as tom yum gai (chicken) and tom yum taleh (seafood).
Traditionally Tom Yum, or lemon grass soup, is made with shrimp heads and galan. But, you can improvise using shrimp shells and chicken stock.
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