Thai Tom Yum Soup enhanced with a Chinese ‘egg drop’ technique
This Tom Yum Egg Drop Soup recipe maintains a classic spicy Thai broth and is enhanced with a fuffy egg-drop omelette. Garnished with crisp lettuce, fresh herbs, spring onions, red chilli and lots of zingy lime, it’s a deliciously refreshing, light and energy-boosting meal.
What does the ‘egg-drop’ mean?
The ‘egg drop’ refers to adding a beaten egg to simmering water or soup stock, in this case, Thai Tom Yum broth, then left to gently cook until firm and resembling a sort of omelette. This technique is often used in Chinese cooking.
What is Tom Yum Soup?
Tom Yum is a traditional hot and sour soup from Thailand normally made with shrimp, chicken or pork. Vegetables included can be sliced carrots, tomatoes, greens, spring onions or mushrooms. The word Tom represents the meaning of the ‘boiling process’ while yum is a spicy and sour Thai Salad. I guess you could think of tom yum as a hot salad soup.
Keep scrolling below the recipe to learn more about Tom Yum Soup and what ingredients are in the paste.
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Tom Yum Egg Drop Soup
Spicy Thai Tom Yum Egg Drop Soup recipe with tomatoes, fresh herbs, salad and lime juice
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Stove top cooking
- Cuisine: Thai soup
Ingredients
- 1 heaped tsp Thai Tom Yum paste
- 250ml water or stock
- 1/2 tomato, sliced into wedges
- 1 egg
- Sea salt flakes
- Handful of crisp lettuce leaves
- Small handful of combined coriander and mint leaves
- 1/2 lime
- Black sesame seeds for garnish
- 1/2 birds eye red chilli, sliced thinly (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a small saucepan with a little oil. Fry tom yum paste for 10 seconds then pour over water or stock and bring to a boil. Add tomato wedges and turn the temperature down slightly to a medium boil. Cook tomatoes for 2 minutes.
- Beat the egg in a separate bowl and season with a little salt.
- Drop in the beaten egg. Allow the egg to cook in the soup for 1 minute or until firm and puffed up like a fluffy omelette.
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Transfer spicy egg soup to a bowl. Garnish with lettuce leaves, scatter with sliced spring onion, and then squeeze generously with lime juice.
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Finish by garnishing with coriander, mint and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. For extra heat add chopped red chilli.
Keywords: Thai soup recipes, egg drop soup recipes, chinese egg drop, spicy soup, thai tom yum
What is Tom Yum paste made of?
Traditionally a charcoal fire is used to roast chilli, garlic and shallots. These ingredients are then combined to make a paste called nam prik pao. This is the base of the soup which is then finished by adding fresh ingredients of lemongrass, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, galangal (a root similar to ginger), lime juice and additional red chilli.
How do I make Tom Yum Soup?
Prepared and jarred tom yum soup paste can be purchased in Asian supermarkets and sometimes in the international section of large commercial supermarkets. Most people will be familiar with making the soup using the prepared paste. For a single serving, simply add 1 heaped teaspoon of tom yum paste, along with a cup of water or stock to a saucepan, then whisk and heat until lightly boiling.
Tom Yum soup ingredients
Add desired meat or vegetables, simmer, and when ready, pour into a bowl and garnish generously with herbs such as mint, coriander or basil. Some people like to add coconut milk for additional flavour and cool down the heat of chilli.
Above: a classic spicy Tom Yum Soup with shredded poached chicken, tomato, mushrooms and Thai basil
