Recipes

Vegetarian Tom Yum

Tom Yum Jeh

Vegetarian tom yum with mushrooms, tofu, and tomatoes in a smoky, herbal broth

Prep

15 min

Cook

7 min

Serves

4

Heat

hot

This vegetarian version keeps all the spicy, sour character that makes Tom Yum famous while leaving out meat, fish, and shrimp entirely, which means the roasted chili sauce has to be made from scratch rather than pulled from a package, since most commercial versions rely on shrimp paste for their depth. A mix of mushrooms, carrot, and cherry tomato simmer in a broth built the traditional way, with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, and coriander root boiled first to release their oils, and deep-fried tofu adds a rounded texture that helps the soup feel substantial rather than thin. As with any Tom Yum, the final seasoning is entirely about taste, adjusted in small increments of chili sauce, lime, and salt until the balance feels right.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons Vegetarian roasted chili sauce (nam prik pao jeh) (to taste)
• 2 packages Firm tofu (cut into squares or triangles, deep-fried until golden)
• 4 cups Straw mushrooms (halved (or a mix of mushroom varieties))
• 16 Cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup Carrot, thinly sliced
• 8 Red shallots, small (peeled, left whole)
• 4 inches Galangal root (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
• 4 stalks Lemongrass (bruised, bottom cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces)
• 8 Kaffir lime leaves (some torn in half with stems removed, some reserved whole for garnish)
• 4 Coriander root (cleaned, lightly bruised)
• 2 Green onion (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 5 sprigs Coriander/cilantro leaves (top leaves reserved for garnish, rest roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup Coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons Fresh lime juice (to taste)
• 3 teaspoons Dark sweet soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons Light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
• 6 cups Water

Directions

1. Drain the tofu and pat dry. Cut into squares or triangles. Heat oil in a deep pan, enough for the pieces to float freely, and fry for about 5 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Set aside.
2. Halve the mushrooms and thinly slice the carrot. Peel the shallots, leaving them whole. Bruise the lemongrass and cut the bottoms into 2-inch diagonal pieces. Slice the galangal. Clean and bruise the coriander root. Tear some kaffir lime leaves in half, removing the stems, and set aside a few whole leaves for garnish. Reserve some nice cilantro leaves for garnish and roughly chop the rest. Cut the green onion into pieces. Measure out the sauces, sugar, chili sauce, and salt ahead of time, since the soup cooks quickly.
3. Bring the water to a strong boil in a soup pot or large wok. Add the galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and coriander root. Boil for about 5 minutes, until the herbs release their oils into the water.
4. Add the mushrooms, carrot, shallots, and any other vegetables. Bring back to a boil.
5. Add the light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, and sugar. Boil for about 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
6. Add the fried tofu and tomatoes, and let the soup get hot again.
7. Stir in the coconut milk.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the roasted chili sauce.
9. Add the lime juice, stir well, and taste. The soup should be spicy, a little sour, and a little salty. Add more chili sauce, lime, or salt a little at a time until it tastes right to you.
10. Ladle into a shared bowl or individual bowls, arranging the mushrooms, lemongrass, and tomatoes so they show nicely. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and green onion, and tuck in a few whole cilantro leaves and kaffir lime leaves.
11. Serve with steamed jasmine rice or brown rice on the side, or enjoy the soup on its own.

Notes

Make the roasted chili sauce from scratch rather than using a packaged version — nearly all commercial nam prik pao contains shrimp paste or fish sauce, which defeats the point of a vegetarian Tom Yum.

Substitutions

A mix of mushroom varieties adds more color and character than straw mushrooms alone. Green beans or snow peas can be added in place of or alongside the carrot; avoid soft vegetables like broccoli, which turn mushy and change the soup's texture.