Thai Tom Yum Paste

Enjoy Tom Yum Soup and other creative Tom Yum dishes anytime with this easy Thai Tom Yum Paste. Use it as a Classic Tom Yum Soup base, or to spice up your stir-fries and marinades. 

Tom Yum is arguably one of the most popular Thai dishes in the world. Spicy, sour, a little sweet, incredibly aromatic and flavorful.

With this Thai Tom Yum Paste, you can enjoy Tom Yum almost instantly anytime!

In addition to just soups, you can also use Tom Yum Paste in creative ways such as this Thai Tom Yum Shrimp Stir-Fry and these Roasted Tom Yum Cashews. Tom Yum Paste also acts as a fantastic marinade.

The possibilities are endless! 

What is Tom Yum Paste?

Classic Tom Yum Soup is prepared by boiling several ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, shrimp and kaffir lime leaves. 

Tom Yum Paste delivers all the Tom Yum flavors that you love in a convenient concentrated base. Whip up a quick Tom Yum Soup in a fraction of the time, or use it to give your hotpot stock a spicy twist. 

It is widely used as a soup base but can also be used in stir-fries, marinades, sauces, and various other applications.

To make Tom Yum Soup, simply add 1 tablespoon of the paste to about 2 cups of boiling water or chicken stock. Add your favorite Tom Yum Soup ingredients such as shrimp, mushrooms, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. 

How to Make Thai Tom Yum Paste

Soak 10 – 15 dried red chilies in a bowl of warm water.

In a separate small bowl, soak 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste in 1/4 cup of warm water.

Allow the chilies and the tamarind paste to soak for about 15 minutes

After the chilies have soaked, cut them up into 1-inch pieces. Rinse out the seeds as you slice the chilies.

I like to cut these chilies right by the kitchen sink so that I can leave the tap water running at a slow flow – I can easily rinse the seeds out under the tap water as I cut into each piece. 

Gently squeeze the tamarind paste with your fingers to extract as much of the juice as possible. Discard the pulp (and tamarind seeds, if any) but save the tamarind juice. 

Add the following ingredients into a food processor or blender:

• Tamarind juice (from the soaked tamarind paste)
• 10 – 15 dried red chilies (soaked, sliced, seeds removed)
• 3 fresh red chilies (sliced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 stalks lemongrass (white portion, thinly sliced)
• 5 small shallots
• 1 inch galangal (grated)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves (stems removed, julienned)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Blend the ingredients to a paste. 

This recipe yields approximately 1 cup of Tom Yum Paste. Since you will only need about 1 or 2 tablespoons in each recipe, your Tom Yum Paste should last a while!

How to Store Tom Yum Paste

Keep the Tom Yum Paste in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

If you will be freezing the Tom Yum Paste, I recommend freezing them in ice cube trays (1 tablespoon in each cube) for convenience. You’ll be able to take and thaw just the right amount that you need.

Recipes with Thai Tom Yum Paste

Thai Tom Yum Shrimp Stir-Fry

Thai Tom Yum Roasted Cashews

Tom Yum Noodle Soup by Roti n Rice

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Thai Tom Yum Paste

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Enjoy Tom Yum Soup and other creative Tom Yum dishes anytime with this easy Thai Tom Yum Paste. Use it as a Classic Tom Yum Soup base, or to spice up your stir-fries and marinades. 

4.50 from 34 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Soaking Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine Thai

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 10 - 15 dried red chilies
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 3 fresh red chilies sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 3 stalks lemongrass white portion only, thinly sliced
• 5 small shallots peeled
• 1 inch galangal grated
• 5 kaffir lime leaves julienned
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp optional
• 1 cup cilantro leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

 

• Rinse then soak the dried red chilies in a bowl of warm water, and the tamarind paste in a separate small bowl in 1/4 cup of warm water. Allow the dried red chilies and the tamarind to soak for 15 minutes.
• Remove the seeds from the dried red chili as you slice them into 1-inch pieces.
• Gently squeeze the tamarind paste with your fingers to extract as much of the juice as possible. Discard the tamarind paste and seeds (if any).
• Pour the tamarind juice into a food processor along with the sliced dried red chili, fresh red chili, lemongrass, shallots, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, brown sugar, coconut oil, dried shrimp (optional), and cilantro leaves.
• Blend the ingredients into a paste.

Notes

Store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer (in ice cube trays) for up to 6 months.

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