Homemade Tom Yum Paste
Tom Yum paste is the flavorful foundation of Thailand’s famous hot and sour soup. Made with a fragrant combination of herbs, spices, and aromatics, it pairs beautifully with seafood, fish, chicken, and vegetables.
I love making my own Tom Yum paste at home because I can control exactly what goes into it. Many store-bought versions contain MSG and other additives, so making it from scratch allows me to create a fresh, flavorful paste without them.
Although the ingredient list may look long, don’t let that discourage you. Once everything is prepared, the paste comes together quickly in a food processor. The combination of lemongrass, galangal, chilies, garlic, shallots, and other aromatic ingredients creates an incredibly fragrant paste that can be used to make a delicious, comforting bowl of Tom Yum soup.
It’s especially wonderful on a cold day, when a steaming bowl of spicy, tangy soup is exactly what you need. Once you have a batch of homemade Tom Yum paste ready, making the soup is quick and easy—and the flavor is so much better when made from scratch.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
½ cup chopped shallots
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons homemade shrimp paste, made with dried small shrimp
If using store-bought shrimp paste, use 1 tablespoon instead.
¼ cup chopped lemongrass
¼ cup chopped galangal
10 kaffir lime leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
2–3 fresh red chilies
4–5 dried red chilies, deseeded and soaked until softened
½ cup coconut milk
Directions:
- Heat a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
2. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden.
3. Add the chopped shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until they become soft and translucent.
4. Add the chopped lemongrass and sauté for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
5. Add the lime leaves and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
6. Add the red chilies and the dried chilies.
7. Stir well and continue cooking for 3–5 minutes, allowing the ingredients to soften and the flavors to develop.
8. In another pot, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the dried shrimp and sauté until fragrant and lightly toasted.
9. Add the oil to a separate pot and heat over medium heat.
10. Add the dried shrimp and cook until crispy and lightly golden, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
11. Transfer the fried shrimp to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
12. Transfer the fried shrimp and all the remaining ingredients to a Vitamix blender or food processor. Make sure the lid is securely closed. If using a Vitamix, start on Variable 1, turn the machine on, and gradually increase the speed to the highest setting. Blend until the mixture becomes a smooth, thick paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
13. Add the lime juice and blend again until it is fully incorporated and the paste is smooth and well combined.
14. Add the fish sauce and blend until well combined.
15. Add the chopped coriander (cilantro) and blend until well incorporated and the paste reaches your desired consistency.
16. Add the coconut milk and blend until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture becomes a smooth, thick paste.
And there you have it—our homemade Tom Yum paste! Fragrant, flavorful, and made from fresh ingredients, it’s ready to use in your favorite Tom Yum soup or other Thai-inspired dishes.
