Tom Yum Paste

Have you ever needed to have the perfect bowl of Tom Yum soup at home?

Here’s your secret weapon: Thai Tom Yum Paste.

Homemade paste not only represents all these classic spicy, tangy, and fragrant flavors. It also means fresh flavor with flexibility that simply cannot be compared to store-bought ones.

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This paste is so versatile that it can be used not only for soup but also in stir-fries, fried rice, as a marinade. And the best part? It all holds together in about 35 minutes with ingredients available in any well-stocked Asian market.

Making Tom Yum Paste was actually the first of the many tiny experiments I did in the kitchen. One too many takeout orders later, I had to recreate the magic at home.

The ingredients themselves may be simple, but they unlock layers of flavor otherwise sadly absent in store-bought pastes.

I now make a batch of this paste just so I can have some in the fridge for whenever I want to whip up something that really packs a punch.

More Recipes Like This

1. Sambal Oelek
2. Chili Oil With Garlic

Ingredients

20 g dried chillies – Soaked in hot water to soften so they blend easily

5 cloves garlic – Chopped finely for that quintessential flavor kick.

1 whole onion or 6 shallots – Either one will do, but shallots give a more authentic flavor

5 kaffir lime leaves – Tear into smaller pieces before blending

2 stalks lemongrass – Only the inner white core has the real flavor.

1 inch galangal, chopped– That really earthy spicy kick

1 tsp belachan (fermented dried shrimp paste)-Optional but toast it for added depth of umami

1 tablespoon tamarind paste-Finishes the dish with a great tanginess.

Palm sugar 

5 red chilies

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

2-3 coriander roots – It has a wonderful subtle herby flavor when using roots, use stems if you can’t get roots

1 cups water or oil – Water makes it much lighter while oil will make it richer and shelf-stable

Instructions

Rehydrate the dried chilies, and to do so, pour boiling water over them and let them sit for about 30 minutes. Once they have softened, strain off.

Mix the aromatics: Add chopped garlic, onion or shallots, chilies, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste, kaffir lime and coriander roots. Pound or blend them until the mixture is smooth, with a fragrant paste result.

Cook the paste: Take a non-stick pan and put it over the medium heat. Add little oil if you use water. Fry the paste for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, till the mixture becomes fragrant and has a tinge of caramel.

Tamarind and sugar: Add at the end tamarind paste and palm sugar. It will balance spiciness and sourness with a slight sweetness.

Store your paste: Allow your Tom Yum paste to cool and store it in a glass jar. If you used oil, you should keep it refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. If you used water, use your Tom Yum paste within a week.

Tips & Variations

Storage tip: Store your paste in an ice cube tray so you can use as much or as little as you like. Simply add a cube directly into your soup, stir-fry, or even a marinade where you feel you need that little extra flavor.

More heat: If you want a hotter dish, add more dried chilies or include some bird’s eye chilies for that added sizzle.

Versatility: This paste can be used for more traditional Tom Yum soup but also for stir-fries, noodle dishes, or even as a marinade for grilled seafood or chicken.

Final Thoughts

Once you make your own Thai Tom Yum Paste from scratch, you will inevitably find yourself reaching for it every time that craving for bright, bold Thai flavors comes over you.

Whether you’re making a hearty soup or throwing something altogether together in a stir-fry, the instant depth and flavor of this paste can hardly be beat by their store-bought counterparts.