California Tom Yum Soup

California Tom Yum Soup

A distant relative of the vibrant, brothy tom yum soup you likely know from many Thai restaurants. Part of its magic is the way it plays sweet off sour, balancing herbaceousness, feisty heat, and just the right amount of saltiness.

Ingredients

    • 8 cups of water
    • 2 large roma tomato (cut in 1/6ths), or 20 cherry tomatoes (halved), or mix
    • 2 dried guajillo chile peppers, coarsely chopped
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons palm, muscovado or brown sugar
    • 1 quantity of Tom Yum Paste* (see below)
    • 8 - 12 ounces mixed mushrooms (nameko, oyster, etc)
    • splash of shoyu or soy sauce, to taste
    • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, or to taste
    • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro in each bowl, for serving
    • To serve: Serve on its own with lime wedges, or with steamed rice, and warm tofu. Bonus points for a drizzle of lemon olive oil, or lime oil for serving, and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Directions

    1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the raw tomato, guajillo chile, and sugar. Simmer for a few minutes, until the tomato softens a bit, add the Tom Yum Paste*. 
    2. Allow to simmer for a minute or two, before adding the mushrooms. Simmer until tender, just a minute or two. Add a small splash of shoyu or soy sauce, and about half of the lime juice. Taste, and adjust with more of either, if needed. Place 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro in the base of each bowl, and top with the soup.