Add all the ingredients to the chopper, and a few tablespoons of the chili soaking liquid. Keep adding the liquid as needed to help break down the ingredients until they have reached a paste that looks similar to the one in the pictures in the post. Alternatively, to turn the cooked wedges into a glorious salad, mix them with the feta, pistachios, spring onions and coriander, toss to combine and serve.

Fish sauce is the main ingredient to provide the savory flavor of tom yum soup. The saltiness should balance with a fair amount of sugar (white or brown sugar). Sugar also acts as the balancing ingredient for the sourness of the lime juice. Therefore, it is useful to carry out a taste test before serving, as the saltiness and sourness may differ due to the use of different brands of fish sauce and the lime quality.It’s perfect for if you don’t have time on a weeknight to cut up all the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. You can just make the paste ahead of time, put it in the fridge or freeze it and add a few tablespoons of it to replace the fresh Thai herbs used in these dishes: Add shallots and garlic. Pound away to a smooth paste. Are you getting your forearm workout yet? (;

I’ve also used Tom Yum in endless curries (as a base), in stir-fries and even in bowls of ramen as a seasoning. I know purists will be rolling their eyes at me but I can’t help it. The tangy sour spice just gets me! I think Tom Yum paste is great and encourage everyone to add it to their cupboard essentials list! Tom yum soup (also known as tom yum goong) is believed to have originated in Central Thailand. It translates to English as tom (“to boil”) yum (“spicy and sour”), and goong (“prawns”). Cooking with the mortar and pestle, you get to experience a taste of authentic Thai cuisine. For me, it’s a day-to-day staple in my kitchen, and I love it when others are open to our culture.

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Add the tamarind paste, lime juice, lime zest, shrimp paste, fish sauce and palm sugar and mix until everything is completely incorporated. This soup is delicious on its own or even poured over steamed jasmine rice. Of course, it also pairs perfectly with other Thai dishes (see below for recommendations). Kaffir lime leaves– Kaffir lime leaves are aromatic and citrusy, contributing to the authentic Thai taste of this paste. If you’re using shrimp for this tom yum recipe, you might get some foam build up on top of your soup, in which case you can just lightly skim it off the top and toss it out.