History

Tom yum's modern Bangkok form dates to the early 20th century, when river prawns from the Chao Phraya and Mekong were ladled into spiced broths in fishing-village kitchens. The clear (nam sai) and creamy chilli-paste (nam khon) versions diverged in Bangkok by the 1960s. Pa Aor in Pom Prap Sattru Phai became the city's canonical tom yum noodle counter in the 2000s, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018 for ladling river prawn into a hot-and-sour broth on rice noodles.

Common allergens: Shellfish (prawn), Fish sauce

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 8 whole river prawns (or large freshwater prawns)
  • 1.2L chicken or seafood stock
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 5cm pieces
  • 30g galangal, sliced thin
  • 10 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 8 Thai bird's-eye chillies, lightly crushed
  • 200g oyster mushrooms, torn
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp Thai roasted-chilli paste (nam prik pao)
  • Coriander leaves, to serve

Method

  1. Peel the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Toast the shells in a dry pan 2 minutes, then add 1.2L stock and simmer 10 minutes.
  2. Strain into a clean pot. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and chillies; simmer 5 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; simmer 2 minutes.
  4. Add the prawn meat. Simmer 90 seconds until just cooked through.
  5. Off the heat, stir in fish sauce, lime juice and roasted-chilli paste. Taste; the balance is sour-salty-spicy with a sweet undertone.
  6. Ladle into bowls and top with coriander. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Tip from the editors. Don't boil after adding the lime; the heat sharpens the citrus into bitter. Stir it in off the flame.

Where to eat tom yum goong

Tom Yum Goong in Bangkok

Pa Aor Tom Yum Goong Noodles ★ 4.8

Thai฿฿

Pa Aor Tom Yum Goong Noodles is bib gourmand stall on a dead-end soi off charoen phon, locals only, where the tom yum noodle bowl was invented.

Why locals love it: Bib Gourmand stall on a dead-end soi off Charoen Phon, locals only, where the tom yum noodle bowl was invented.

Tip: Cash only. Lunch only, 09:00-16:00, closed Sundays. The tom yum goong with whole river prawn is the canonical order.

113 Soi Charoen Phon, Khwaeng Nakhon Sawan, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100

Raan Jay Fai ★ 4.7

Street food฿Wed-Sat 09:00-19:00 (queue numbers from opening)Cash only

Raan Jay Fai in Bangkok's Old Town is the Michelin-starred street stall where Supinya Junsuta in ski goggles cooks the city's most famous 800-baht crab.

Try: Crab omelet, drunken noodles, tom yum

Tip: Walk-in only with same-day queue numbers from 09:00. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. Cash only, dishes 800 to 1,200 baht.

327 Maha Chai Road, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

Mit Ko Yuan ★ 4.0

Heritage Thai฿฿old-town

Mit Ko Yuan in Bangkok's Sao Chingcha is the Bib Gourmand family Thai room from 1962, central-Thai stir-fries and seafood dishes opposite the Giant Swing.

Signature: Tom yum kung, Steamed crab, Pad pak rauam (mixed vegetables)

Order: Tom yum kung with whole river prawn and a side of stir-fried morning glory.

Tip: Cash only. Open 11:00-22:00 daily, the heritage building seats around 50 across two floors.

186 Dinso Road, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

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