Tom Yum Soup (The Most Authentic Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Which country is famous for Tom Yum soup? ›

Originated in Thailand, this is sometimes called Tom Yam and is a soup that normally includes shrimp in a hot and sour serving. The words Tom Yam mean “boiling” or “hot” and “spicy and sour” which perfectly describes this soup. As a staple Thai dish, this famous Tom Yum Goong is served in Thai Square.

Best: Tom Yum Soup

Tom yum has fewer than 100 calories per cup. It also has shrimp, veggies, and fragrant spices, such as lemongrass. Tom yum and other broth-based soups, like tofu-vegetable or wonton, are usually lower in fat and calories than soups made with coconut milk, such as tom kha.

Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam refers to a Thai spicy and sour salad. Indeed, tom yum is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant spices and herbs generously used in the broth.

For most varieties a paste called nam phrik phao (Thai: น้ำพริกเผา) is also added, made from shrimp, chilis, shallots, and garlic. This imparts sweet, salty, and spicy tastes. Yet other ingredients may also be used, depending on the exact variety of tom yam, such as evaporated milk.

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Yum, meaning “mix,” is a hearty dish consisting mostly of meat, fish, or seafood together with many other typically Thai ingredients which may include peanuts, fruit, and herbs.

A small portion of pad thai is fine for the person with diabetes, but leave at least half the serving for another day. Thai food is so nutritious that there is little about it to warn the person with diabetes. As always, avoid large portions and too much rice. And be careful of the hot spices.

Health Benefits: Tom Yum soup is made with a variety of fresh herbs and spices that are known for their health benefits. Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal are all used in the soup and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

The medicinal benefits of this soup are abundant! Tom Yum in Thai directly translates to “boiling and sour”. Tom Yum soup uses a variety of healing herbs and ingredients to boost the immune system, coat the stomach, aid in digestion, and repair cellular tissue.

The Thai word for “boil” or tom (pronounced “dtome”) features prominently on Thai menus and tom yum goong is probably one of the most famous Thai dishes in the world.

Do you eat rice with tom yum? ›

For a lighter soup that can be eaten with or without rice, like a tom yum or a tom kha, you can eat the soup on its own as you enjoy the meal to wash down other drier dishes, or add some rice directly to your bowl and eat it like a rice soup.

While it's perfectly acceptable to eat tom yum soup on its own with some jasmine rice, in Thailand it's typically part of a bigger meal. Since the soup is light and tart, we want to pair it with something dry and/or rich: Vietnamese caramel chicken is a sweet-salty dish that would go perfectly with tom yum.

Be warned though! Much of what is in Tom Yum, you don't eat! It's just to flavor the soup!

There are two different types of Tom Yum soup. The original Tom Yum is a clear soup called Tom Yum Nam Sai. The later version, which is commonly seen and widely adored, is a vibrant-coloured, richer and creamier soup called Tom Yum Nam Khon as it has roasted chilli paste, evaporated milk or coconut cream added to it.

Over time, the soup began incorporating other ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and chili peppers. One theory about the origin of Tom Yum soup is that it was created by royal chefs in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The kingdom was founded in the mid-14th century.

The strong flavours in Thai food offers are reasons that make them very popular, and Tom Yum Goong is definitely full of flavour. Tom Yum Goong is different from many western soups because most western soups do not have a huge amount of flavour in the broth.

Russians consume the most soup on average in the world, with approximately 32 kg per person per year. The statistic states that, on average, Russians consume the highest amount of soup compared to any other country in the world. This is quantified by an approximate consumption rate of 32 kilograms per person per year.