ต้มยำ

Bring the broth to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the lemongrass stalks, galangal slices, and torn kaffir lime leaves, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for eight to ten minutes to extract the aromatic oils into the broth.

Add the mushrooms to the fragrant broth and cook for three minutes until they are just tender. The mushrooms should soften slightly while retaining their shape, absorbing the lemongrass and galangal flavours from the surrounding liquid.

Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and cook for two to three minutes until they curl and turn opaque pink. Avoid overcooking, as the shrimp should remain plump and juicy rather than becoming tough and rubbery from excessive heat exposure.

Remove the pot from the heat immediately once the shrimp are cooked through. Stir in the fish sauce, nam prik pao, and the lightly crushed bird's eye chillies, allowing the residual heat to bloom the flavours of the chilli paste without further cooking.

Add the lime juice last, after the pot is off the heat, to preserve its bright acidity. Stir gently to combine, then taste and adjust the balance between sour lime, salty fish sauce, and spicy chilli paste until the soup is vibrant and multi-layered.

Ladle the tom yum into deep bowls, distributing the shrimp and mushrooms evenly. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately while steaming hot, alongside steamed jasmine rice for a complete Thai meal.