Tom Yum Goong (ต้มยำกุ้ง)

There has been a breakthrough in the culinary world that is Thailand.
I have just switched host families, to parents who own a convenient store and have lots of free time. I have moved in with a woman who used to be a chef.
I guess I'm trying to say... TIME TO COOK! I have learnt 4 dishes in the past two days (AH!!) so no worry, this blog will wake up from it's slumber and start giving you what you came for .. food.

First off, Tom Yum Goong (a spicy, sour and creamy shrimp soup.. oh so aroi [delicious]). Hold onto your seats ladies and gentlemen.. this one's a toughy.

The toughest part about this recipe is to make sure you get the taste right. There are three tasts - creamy, spicy and sour and you need to get them to a good consistency. Cooking usually doesn't have directions on how much to put in, but for learning purposes I will say how much of everything we used today (rough estimate)

1. Start off with heating up some water to a slow boil

The first ingredients are:
ใบมะกรูด - keffir lime leaves (3/4, pull the spine out first and tear into smaller pieces)
ข่า - siamese ginger (I assume you could use normal ginger if you had to, about a tbsp.)
ตะไคร้ - lemon grass (2 sticks)
พริก - chile peppers (5 peppers - this can change depending on how spicy you want it)

2. Toss those into your water and cover it while you get the rest prepared

Next, prepare:
เห็ด - mushrooms (we used a Thai mushroom similar to shitake)
กุ้ง - shrimp
มะเขือเทศ - tomatoes

3. Add these ingredients into your soup pot.

In your serving bowl mix:

ผักชี - coriander (about a tbsp)
มะนาว - lime juice (1 small lime)
นำตาล - sugar (a pinch or two)
นำปลา - fish sauce (half a ladle)
นมสด - evaporated milk (3/4 a ladle)

4. When your soup is ready (ie. shrimp is cooked) ladle it out into your serving bowl, but try not to get too much of the water.

5. Finally, garnish with ผักชีฝรั่ง - parsley.

You can eat Tom Yum Goong as a soup or over rice. (: