Nomadic Treats

Soup

  • Tom Yum Goong

    Tom Yum Goong

    Tom Yum Goong is a Thai hot-and-sour shrimp soup flavored with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies and lime juice. Bright, aromatic and deeply savory, it balances heat, acidity and saltiness, while this creamy version adds evaporated milk for a softer, richer finish.

    What is Tom Yum Goong?

    Tom Yum Goong is a Thai hot-and-sour soup made with shrimp and a highly aromatic broth. Its characteristic flavor comes from ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, Thai chilies, fish sauce and fresh lime juice, creating a balance of sour, salty, spicy and savory flavors.

    In this creamy version, shrimp shells and heads are first used to build a flavorful broth before mushrooms, onions and tomatoes are added. The shrimp are cooked only briefly, and evaporated milk is stirred in near the end to soften the soup’s sharpness while preserving its bright, aromatic character.

    Tom Yum Goong in Thai food culture

    Tom Yum Goong is one of Thailand’s best-known soups and a classic example of the balance that defines much of Thai cooking. The combination of sour lime, salty fish sauce, fresh chilies and fragrant herbs creates a broth that is intensely aromatic without relying on long cooking.

    The word goong means shrimp, distinguishing this version from other types of tom yum made with different proteins. Both clear and creamy styles are common, with the creamy version often enriched with evaporated milk or another creamy ingredient while keeping the soup’s characteristic hot-and-sour flavor.

    What does Tom Yum Goong taste like?

    Tom Yum Goong is bright, sour, spicy and deeply aromatic, with layers of citrus, herbs and savory seafood flavor. Lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves give the broth its distinctive fragrance, while Thai chilies bring heat and fish sauce adds salty depth.

    Fresh lime juice provides the sharp acidity that defines the soup, while the shrimp contribute sweetness and richness. In this creamy version, evaporated milk rounds out the flavors and softens the acidity and heat without masking the freshness of the aromatics.

    How Tom Yum Goong varies

    Tom Yum Goong can be prepared in both clear and creamy styles. The clear version keeps the broth light and sharply focused on the aromatics, lime juice, chilies and fish sauce, while creamy versions add ingredients such as evaporated milk to create a richer, softer finish.

    The balance of sourness, saltiness and heat also varies from cook to cook, as does the choice of mushrooms and the amount of chili used. This version is a large-batch creamy Tom Yum Goong made with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes and evaporated milk, with the seasoning adjusted at the end to taste.

    Where does Tom Yum Goong come from?

    Tom Yum Goong originated in the Central Plains of Thailand, where riverside communities had ready access to freshwater prawns and a wide range of aromatic herbs. The dish developed from the combination of locally available shrimp with ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves, creating the hot, sour and fragrant soup now associated with Thai cuisine.

    Over time, Tom Yum Goong spread throughout Thailand and became one of the country’s most recognizable dishes. Its cultural importance was formally recognized in 2024, when UNESCO inscribed Tomyum Kung on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

    Make Tom Yum Goong at home

    Ready to make it yourself? Follow the full Tom Yum Goong recipe with ingredients, step-by-step instructions, recipe notes and video.

    Get the Tom Yum Goong recipe →
  • Homemade Ramen

    Homemade Ramen

    Homemade Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup built around a deeply flavored broth, springy noodles, and a variety of toppings. This version combines chicken stock and dashi with soy sauce, then adds sliced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, baby spinach, green onions, nori, and crispy garlic.

    What is Homemade Ramen?

    Homemade Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup made by combining a flavorful broth with ramen noodles and a variety of toppings. In this version, the broth is built from both chicken stock and dashi, then seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.

    The bowl is finished with sliced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, baby spinach, green onions, fried garlic, nori, sesame seeds, and optional chili oil. The result is a layered soup with savory depth from the chicken and dashi, balanced by fresh and aromatic toppings.

    Homemade Ramen in Japanese food culture

    Ramen is one of Japan’s most recognizable comfort foods, with countless regional styles built around different broths, seasonings, noodles, and toppings. It is commonly served in dedicated ramen shops, where each bowl is often defined by the character of its broth and the way it is seasoned.

    Making ramen at home usually means breaking the dish into separate components: broth, seasoning, noodles, protein, and toppings. This version follows that approach by combining homemade chicken stock with dashi, then finishing the bowl with chicken, eggs, mushrooms, greens, and aromatic garnishes.

    What does Homemade Ramen taste like?

    Homemade Ramen is deeply savory and aromatic, with the chicken stock providing body and richness while the dashi adds a lighter layer of umami from kombu and bonito. Soy sauce brings saltiness and depth, while a small amount of rice vinegar and sugar helps round out the broth.

    The toppings add contrast: tender chicken, earthy shiitake mushrooms, creamy soft-boiled eggs, fresh baby spinach, crisp green onions, nori, sesame seeds, and fried garlic. Optional chili oil adds heat and another layer of richness.

    How Homemade Ramen varies

    Ramen varies widely depending on the broth, seasoning, noodles, and toppings. Common styles include soy sauce-based shoyu ramen, miso ramen, salt-seasoned shio ramen, and rich tonkotsu ramen made with pork bones.

    Homemade versions can also be adapted with different proteins, vegetables, mushrooms, eggs, and garnishes. This version combines chicken stock with dashi and soy sauce, then uses chicken, shiitake mushrooms, baby spinach, soft-boiled eggs, nori, green onions, and fried garlic as the main toppings.

    Where does Homemade Ramen come from?

    Ramen developed in Japan from Chinese-style wheat noodle soups that became increasingly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time, Japanese cooks adapted the dish with local broths, seasonings, noodles, and toppings, creating the many regional styles associated with ramen today.

    As ramen spread across Japan, different areas developed their own characteristic versions, ranging from light soy-based broths to rich pork-bone soups. Homemade ramen follows the same basic idea of combining noodles, a seasoned broth, and carefully chosen toppings, while allowing the cook to adapt each component to taste.

    Make Homemade Ramen at home

    Ready to make it yourself? Follow the full Homemade Ramen recipe with ingredients, step-by-step instructions, recipe notes and video.

    Get the Homemade Ramen recipe →
  • Tom Yum Goong

    Tom Yum Goong

    This Tom Yum Goong recipe makes a large batch of creamy Thai hot-and-sour shrimp soup with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, Thai chilies, mushrooms and tomatoes. The shrimp shells and heads are used to build the broth first, then the soup is finished with fish sauce, lime juice, evaporated milk and fresh cilantro for a bold balance of sour, spicy, salty and savory flavors.

    Watch how to make Tom Yum Goong

    Ingredients

    • 4 liters (about 17 cups) water
    • 8 stalks lemongrass
    • 1 generous handful galangal, cut into strips
    • 20 makrut lime leaves
    • 10 Thai chilies
    • 10 garlic cloves, peeled
    • 1 kg (about 2.2 lb) shrimp
    • 500 g (about 1.1 lb) mushrooms
    • 4 Roma tomatoes
    • 3 medium white onions
    • 2 spring onions
    • 4 tsp sugar
    • 8–12 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
    • Juice of 12 limes, plus 1 extra lime for serving
    • 1 large bunch cilantro
    • 1 can evaporated milk, 250 g (8.8 oz)

    Instructions

    Prepare the aromatics

    Tear the makrut lime leaves to help release their flavor. Trim the lemongrass by removing the tough outer layer, then lightly bruise the stalks with a mallet. Lightly pound the galangal as well.

    Keep the Thai chilies whole for a milder soup, or add more if you want extra heat.

    Prepare the shrimp and broth

    Remove the shrimp heads and shells, leaving the tails on. Reserve the heads and shells for the broth.

    Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the makrut lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass, shrimp heads and shells, Thai chilies and garlic.

    Skim off any foam that rises to the surface and let the broth boil for about 10 minutes.

    Remove the pot from the heat and strain the broth through a colander. Discard the shrimp heads and shells. Keep the herbs, then cut the lemongrass into finger-length pieces.

    Prepare the vegetables

    Cut the onions and tomatoes into wedges so they stay a little chunky in the soup.

    Separate the mushroom stems from the caps, then quarter the caps.

    Slice the spring onions and roughly chop most of the cilantro, reserving a little cilantro for garnish.

    Cook the soup

    Return the strained broth to the pot and bring it back to the heat.

    Add the reserved herbs, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes, and bring everything back to a boil.

    Roll the limes firmly on the work surface, then squeeze them. Keep one lime aside and cut it into wedges for serving.

    Add the shrimp and season

    Lower the heat and add the shrimp.

    Season with the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice.

    Let the soup cook for about 1 minute, then turn the heat down low. The shrimp should be just cooked through and the mushrooms and onions tender.

    Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, sugar or lime juice if needed.

    Finish the creamy Tom Yum

    Stir in the evaporated milk and let the soup heat through for about 1 minute.

    Taste again and adjust with a little more lime juice or fish sauce if needed.

    Stir in most of the chopped cilantro.

    Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with the remaining cilantro and sliced spring onions.

    Serve immediately with the extra lime wedges on the side.

    Recipe Notes

    This recipe makes a large batch

    This version uses 4 liters of water and 1 kg of shrimp, making it ideal for a large family meal or for hosting. If you want a smaller batch, scale all of the ingredients proportionally.

    Adjust the heat to your taste

    The Thai chilies provide most of the soup’s heat. Keep them whole for a gentler level of spice, or use more if you prefer a hotter Tom Yum.

    Do not overcook the shrimp

    The shrimp only need a very short cooking time. Once they are just cooked through, lower the heat so they stay tender rather than becoming firm or rubbery.

    Taste again after adding the milk

    Evaporated milk softens the sharpness of the lime, fish sauce and chilies. Taste the soup again after adding it and adjust with a little more lime juice or fish sauce if needed.

    Learn more about Tom Yum Goong

    Want to learn more about the dish, its flavors, variations and place in Thai food culture? Read our guide to Tom Yum Goong.

  • Homemade Ramen

    Homemade Ramen

    This Homemade Ramen recipe combines a rich chicken stock with dashi, soy sauce and simple seasonings, then builds each bowl with ramen noodles, sliced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, baby spinach, green onions, nori, sesame seeds and crispy garlic. It takes time, but most of the work is in preparing the broth and toppings separately.

    Watch how to make Homemade Ramen

    Ingredients

    For the chicken stock

    • 7 cups water
    • 4 chicken wings, or bones and leftovers from deboning the thighs
    • 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger (about 20 g), sliced
    • 1 onion
    • 1 garlic clove

    For the dashi

    • 5 cups water
    • 10 g kombu (dried kelp)
    • 25 g katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

    For the seasoned broth

    • Chicken stock, prepared above
    • Dashi, prepared above
    • 4 tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tsp rice vinegar
    • 2 tsp sugar
    • 1–1½ tsp salt, or to taste

    For the noodles and toppings

    • 4 packs ramen noodles, about 150 g (5 oz) each
    • 2 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
    • 30 g (1 oz) dried shiitake mushrooms
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 small bunch baby spinach
    • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1 sheet nori, cut into small squares
    • Sesame seeds, for garnish
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning the chicken
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • Neutral oil, as needed, for frying the garlic
    • Chili oil, optional, for serving

    Instructions

    Make the chicken stock

    Add the water, chicken wings or bones, ginger, onion, and garlic to a large stockpot.

    Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 2 hours, or up to 6 hours if time allows.

    Strain the stock, discard the solids, and set the stock aside.

    The chicken stock can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated until needed.

    Make the dashi

    Combine the water and kombu in a large pot and heat over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not let the liquid boil.

    Remove the kombu.

    Increase the heat and bring the liquid just to a boil. Add the katsuobushi, let it sink, and simmer for 30 seconds.

    Turn off the heat and let it steep for 10 minutes.

    Strain through a cheesecloth-lined fine strainer, or a fine strainer lined with paper towel, into a large bowl.

    Season the broth

    Return the dashi to the pot over medium heat.

    Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.

    Taste and adjust the salt if needed.

    Keep the broth hot over low heat while you prepare the toppings and noodles.

    Prepare the chicken

    Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.

    Season the chicken thighs generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.

    Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan.

    Flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

    Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

    Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest before slicing thinly.

    Prepare the eggs and mushrooms

    Bring a pot of water to a boil.

    Gently lower in the eggs straight from the refrigerator and simmer for 7 minutes for slightly runny yolks, or 8 minutes for soft but set yolks.

    Transfer the eggs immediately to a bowl of ice water and cool for at least 5 minutes.

    Peel carefully and cut in half lengthwise.

    Meanwhile, place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water.

    Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, or until softened. Squeeze out the excess water and slice thinly.

    Prepare the spinach and fried garlic

    Wash the baby spinach and set it aside. It only needs to wilt briefly from the heat of the broth when the bowls are assembled.

    Heat a little neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.

    Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and lightly crisp.

    Remove the garlic from the oil and set aside.

    Cook the noodles

    Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions, usually 1 to 3 minutes depending on their thickness.

    Slightly undercook them so they do not become soggy once the hot broth is added.

    Drain well.

    Assemble and serve

    Divide the noodles among 4 bowls.

    Pour the hot broth over the noodles.

    Top each bowl with sliced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, baby spinach, green onions, fried garlic, nori, and sesame seeds.

    Finish with a little chili oil if desired and serve immediately.

    Recipe Notes

    Make the chicken stock ahead

    The chicken stock can be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated until needed. This makes the final ramen much easier to assemble.

    Do not boil the kombu

    Keep the dashi below a boil while the kombu is steeping. Remove the kombu before bringing the liquid up to a boil and adding the katsuobushi.

    Slightly undercook the noodles

    Ramen noodles continue softening once the hot broth is added. Cook them just shy of fully done so they stay springy in the bowl.

    Keep the eggs soft

    For a slightly runny yolk, cook the eggs for about 7 minutes. For a soft but more set center, cook for about 8 minutes, then transfer them immediately to ice water.

    Add the spinach at the end

    Because baby spinach wilts very quickly, there is no need to cook it separately. Add it directly to the bowls and let the hot broth soften it.

    Fry the garlic gently

    Cook the sliced garlic over medium-low heat and watch it closely. It can go from golden to burnt very quickly, and burnt garlic will taste bitter.

    Adjust the broth before serving

    Taste the seasoned broth before assembling the bowls and adjust the salt if needed. The soy sauce already adds saltiness, so make the final adjustment carefully.

    Learn more about Homemade Ramen

    Want to learn more about the dish, its flavors, variations and place in Japanese food culture? Read our guide to Homemade Ramen.