Tom Yum Goong Jay - Thai Spicy Soup with Vegan Shrimp

I've finally found a couple of Thai supermarkets here in Barcelona, and my usual Chinese supermarket has started stocking lots of vegan goodies such as shrimp, bacon, Chinese BBQ pork, Yam sausages, the list goes on and on. But more about that later. For now, here's how to make one of my all time fave soups. Tom Yum Goong. 


Ingredients:

4 cups water
4-6 defrosted vegan shrimp, cut in half length ways (these can be left out)
5 tablespoons lime juice
6 bird’s eyes chillies or three larger red chillies (pounded or sliced)
6x 1cm slices fresh galangal (or 3 tablespoons from a jar)
6x kaffir lime leaves (3 bruised, 3 shredded)
2x tablespoons vegan nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
2x teaspoons mushroom soya sauce (or normal if you dont have this)
1x stalk lemongrass (use the white part only, pounded with a cleaver)
6x fresh mushrooms (ideally oyster mushrooms, but button mushrooms work fine)
Small amount of cane or coconut sugar
Handful of cilantro, with stems
I often also add in some sliced tomato, sliced red shallot and a clove of garlic


Combine the water, chillies, galangal, mushroom soya sauce, lemongrass, nam prik pao and sugar in a non-aluminium pan and bring to the boil. Simmer on a gentle rolling boil for 5mins. Add the lime juice, vegan shrimp, kaffir lime leaves and mushrooms. Bring to the boil again and simmer until the shrimp are cooked. This should take about 3mins. 

Before you serve the dish check for the right mix of sour, sweet and heat. They should be in balance so that no single flavour overpowers the other. Given how much chilli is used, you might be surprised how much sugar the Thai's actually use in their food to create this balance. But it is worth it! If you can try to get jaggery or palm sugar, it gives a much more authentic taste. Slightly sour/bitter, but still sweet. Not at all like Western sugar! 

To serve: Pour a tablespoon of lime juice in a small bowl, add some extra nam prik pao to taste (its very hot!!), some fresh cilantro and pour the soup over.

Eat and smile.


ps You may wish to have a box of tissues to hand :-)