Thai · soup

Tom Yum Goong

Name: Tom Yum Goong
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp, peeled; 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised; 6 slices galangal; 6 kaffir lime leaves; 4 Thai chilies; 8 oz mushrooms; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp roasted chili paste; 1/4 cup evaporated milk (optional); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1 tsp sugar

Tom Yum Goong reads umami 6.8, citrus 5.7 and salinity 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai soup, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.4 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.1 / 10
Rich & Fat — 2.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Citrus 5.7 · Salinity 5.6 · Funk & Ferment 5.6 · Marine & Briny 5.3 · Sourness 4.8 · Heat 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.2 · Sweetness 3.1 · Earthy 3.0 · Richness 2.8 · Floral 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Fruity 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (12)

1 lb large shrimp, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
6 slices galangal
6 kaffir lime leaves
4 Thai chilies
8 oz mushrooms
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp roasted chili paste
1/4 cup evaporated milk (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp sugar

Time & effort: about 25 min (15 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 51.8 kcal, 5.9 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 6.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Bruise lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves, then simmer in water or light stock for five minutes.
Add shrimp, mushrooms, roasted chili paste, and fish sauce and cook just until shrimp turn pink.
Finish with lime juice, taste for sour-salty-spicy balance, and garnish with cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Tom Yum Shrimp Soup — Thai
Tom Kha Gai — Thai
Tom Ka Kai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup) — Thai
Snap Pea Chopped Salad With Thai Vinaigrette Recipe — Thai
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai) — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, citrus, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.