1teaspoonagaveor palm sugar (Optional-skip for low-carb soup)
2teaspoonsrirachaor chili garlic sauce (Optional-skip for mild soup)
Instructions
Pressure Cook- Instant Pot
Add broth, water, chopped lemongrass, sliced ginger (or galangal), onions, mushrooms, fish sauce (see notes for substitute), red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves (see notes for substitute), and chicken breast to the cooking pot.
Close the lid and set pressure cook, or manual for 8 mins at high pressure.
Once the cooking is done, release pressure in bursts. What that means is, release pressure 1-2 seconds at a time, then stop. Repeat this till most of the pressure has released and its intensity has gone down. This prevents the soup from spraying out of the pressure knob.
Open the lid after the pin drops.
After Pressure Cooking
Using tongs, remove the lemongrass pieces and kaffir lime leaves. They are chewy and unpleasant to bite into so it's best to remove them.
Remove the chicken in a bowl and shred it using two forks. Shred it as thick or thin as you like.
Add fresh lime juice, carrots, baby corn and zucchini (or your preferred veggie combination). Add the shredded chicken back in. Add agave or palm sugar, stir and give it a taste to check for seasoning.
Add chopped cilantro leaves for garnish.
Optional Step
As an optional step, add 1 tablespoon of sriracha to give it that extra kick. We love it and I recommend it if you like spice.
Stovetop Recipe for Tom Yum Soup
Heat a large soup pot on medium-high heat. Add broth, water, chopped lemongrass, sliced ginger (or galangal), onions, mushrooms, fish sauce (see notes for substitute), red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves (see notes for substitute), and chicken breast to the cooking pot.
Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreddable.
Using tongs, remove the lemongrass pieces and kaffir lime leaves. They are chewy and unpleasant to bite into so it's best to remove them.
Remove the chicken in a bowl and shred it using two forks. Shred it as thick or thin as you like.
Add fresh lime juice, carrots, baby corn and zucchini (or your preferred veggie combination). Add the shredded chicken back in.
Add agave or palm sugar, stir and give it a taste to check for seasoning. Add chopped cilantro leaves for garnish.
Video
Notes
I use crimini mushrooms in this recipe. Some other mushrooms that go well in this soup are button mushrooms, shiitake, straw mushrooms.
I used a combination of 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 2 cups water. You can use all broth, or all water. If using all broth, reduce salt to ½ tsp. If using all water, add an additional ¼ teaspoon salt, check for seasoning at the end and adjust taste.
I used chicken breast in this recipe. You can use other cuts of chicken too. If using Chicken Thighs, reduce cooking time to 6 mins, Chicken Tenders= 5 mins; Chicken breast halves (thin Slices)= 7 mins.
To use shrimp instead of chicken, pressure cook all ingredients listed under "pressure cook" (skip the chicken ;). Release pressure and add deveined and cleaned shrimp. Turn on saute mode and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp have turned opaque and are cooked through.
Few restaurants serve this soup with tomatoes. To add those, add thin slices of roma tomato to the soup after pressure cooking, along with other vegetables.
To make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, replace the chicken with extra firm tofu and add it after pressure cooking, along with vegetables. Replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.
To make this soup low-carb, skip the agave or palm sugar.
I have tested this recipe and quantity in a 3qt and 6qt pressure cooker. This recipe can easily be doubled in a 6qt and 8qt pressure cooker.
After pressure cooking, release pressure in bursts. What that means is, release pressure 1-2 seconds at a time, then stop. Repeat this till most of the pressure has released and its intensity has gone down. This prevents the soup from spraying out of the pressure knob.
How to avoid QR: Let the pressure release naturally for 10 mins (NPR 10 mins). In that time, most of the pressure has released naturally and if you do a quick release at this point, it won’t be that impactful and long.
To freeze this soup, wait for it to cool down completely. Pour it in an air-tight container and store it in the freezer for up to a month.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.