Tom Yum Gung

Tom Yum Gung is a Thai soup teeming with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. It can be ordered loaded with coconut milk (tom yum gung nam kohn) and cream or without (tom yum gung nam sai) for a slightly more sour and healthy version. This soup truly unifies a host of favorite Thai tastes: sour, salty, spicy and sweet, all in one bowl. This is an authentic Thai delicacy that many locals are passionate about and has spread around the world.

Its varieties include the following:

(1) Tom yum goong or tom yam kung, the version of the dish most popular among tourists, is made with prawns as the main ingredient;

(2) Tom yum paa (Lao) or tom yam pla (Thai) is a clear fish soup that was traditionally eaten with rice. It used to be the most widespread form of tom yam before mass-tourism came to Thailand, for fresh fish is readily available almost everywhere in the region's rivers, canals and lakes as well as in the sea. Usually fish with firm flesh that doesn't crumble after boiling is preferred for this type of soup.

(3) Tom yum gai or tom yam kai is the chicken version of the soup.

(4) Tom yum po taek (Lao) or tom yam thale (Thai) is a variant of the soup with mixed seafood, like prawns, squid, clams and pieces of fish.

(5) Tom yam nam khon is a more recent variation. Almost always made with prawns as a main ingredient, a little milk or coconut milk is added to the broth as a finishing touch, and then balanced with some toasted dried chillies. This adaptation is not to be confused with tom kha gai ("chicken galanga soup"), where galanga is the dominant flavor of the coconut milk-based soup.

(6) Tom yam kung maphrao on nam khon, a version of prawn tom yum with the meat of a young coconut and a dash of (coconut) milk.

(7) Tom yam kha mu (Thai: ต้มยำขาหมู), made with pork leg. These require a long cooking time under low fire.