Tom yum

Tom yum is the hot and sour soup of Thailand: a clear broth scented with lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves, with fresh lime, chilli and chicken or mushrooms. In our kosher version, tom yum gai, chicken replaces the shrimp and soy sauce replaces the fish sauce.

Pot calculatorOrder Tom yum

Dairy freeMeatAllergens:Soy

Updated

Tom yumIllustration
Time50 minCook 30 min
Pot4 bowls2 litres
Per bowl273 kcal18.6 g protein · a 500 ml bowl
Cost of the pot₪41for the pot, about ₪10 a bowl

The story of Tom yum

Tom yum is one of Thailand's best known soups, and the name says how it is made: tom means to boil in water, and yum is the Thai style of sour, hot and salty flavours tossed together. In Thailand it is eaten as part of a meal, with white rice, not only as a starter.

The world famous version is tom yum goong, with shrimp, and Israelis know it from Thai restaurants and from travels in the East. In a kosher kitchen shrimp stays out of the pot, so tom yum is made as tom yum gai with chicken, tom yum pla with fish or with mushrooms. All three are real versions, well known in Thailand too.

What makes Tom yum itself

Tom yum involves almost no cooking. The aromatics, lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves, perfume the broth in five minutes, the chicken cooks in six, and the lime, the heart of the soup, goes in only after the heat is off. The flavours should arrive in order: sour first, then salty, and finally a heat that lingers. The lemongrass and galangal are not eaten; they are there for scent.

Tom yum for any number of people

Change the number of people and the bowl size, and every ingredient updates in grams, with the cost, calories and protein per bowl.

Bowl size
Units
2litres in the pot
3Pot to use, litres
₪41Cost of the pot
₪10per bowl
273kcal per bowl
18.6g protein per bowl
IngredientAmountCost
Broth and aromatics
Water or homemade chicken stock1.5 l
Lemongrass stalks, cut on the diagonal and bruised80 g · 3 pcs₪4.4
Galangal, thinly sliced40 g₪3.2
Makrut lime leaves, torn4 g · 8 pcs₪1.0
Small Thai chillies, crushed10 g · 5 pcs₪0.1
Chicken and vegetables
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, in thin strips500 g₪17
Oyster or button mushrooms, halved250 g₪11
Small onion, in thick wedges100 g · 1 pcs₪0.6
Tomatoes, quartered200 g · 2 pcs₪1.6
The seasoning
Soy sauce, in place of fish sauce30 ml₪1.3
Salt4 g₪0.0
Sugar8 g₪0.0
Fresh lime juice, from about 5 limes70 ml
Coriander, leaves and stems20 g₪1.0
Send on WhatsApp

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026. Nutrition from the ingredients in grams, before cooking.

How many calories in Tom yum? Nutrition facts and calorie calculator

Change the amount of any ingredient, drop one, or pick a lighter version, and the numbers per serving update at once: calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium and fibre.

Tom yum has 55 calories per 100 ml. A 500 ml bowl made with our recipe has 273 calories: 18.6 g protein, 15.1 g fat and 16 g carbohydrates. A 250 ml cup has 137 calories.

Ingredients, for the whole recipe

  • 3 pcs20 kcal per serving
  • 40 g8 kcal per serving
  • 8 pcs0 kcal per serving
  • 5 pcs1 kcal per serving
  • 500 g194 kcal per serving
  • 250 g14 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs10 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs9 kcal per serving
  • 30 ml5 kcal per serving
  • 4 g0 kcal per serving
  • 8 g8 kcal per serving
  • 70 ml5 kcal per serving
  • 20 g1 kcal per serving

What each add-on adds to Tom yum

Values for the amount in the row, from the national food database.

Add-onCaloriesProtein, gFat, g
A tablespoon of oil122013.8
A slice of white bread792.50.5
A slice of challah12641.1
A side cup of cooked rice, about1823.50.3
Chicken breast, 100 g raw12022.52.6
Chicken thigh, 100 g raw12119.74.1

How to make Tom yum

In cook mode the screen stays on, tap a step when it is done, and the timers run next to each step.
  1. Aromatics: cut the bottom 10 cm of each lemongrass stalk, peel off the tough outer leaf, cut into 4 cm pieces and bruise with the back of a knife. Slice the galangal thinly, tear the lime leaves and remove the central vein, and crush the chillies.
  2. In a 3 litre pot bring the water or stock to a boil, add the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves and simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat, until the kitchen smells of them.
  3. Add the chicken strips, return to a gentle boil, skim and cook for 6 minutes.
  4. Add the mushrooms, onion and tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and the tomatoes start to slump at the edges.
  5. Add the soy sauce, salt and sugar, stir and turn off the heat.
  6. Only now add the lime juice and the crushed chillies. Taste: sour first, then salty, then hot. Correct with lime, soy sauce or sugar.
  7. Serve at once in hot bowls with plenty of coriander on top. Leave the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves at the side of the bowl.

The science of Tom yum

Kitchen science

Why the lemongrass is bruised

Lemongrass aroma oils, mainly citral, are locked in cells within tough fibres. A blow with the back of a knife ruptures the cells, and the oils move into the broth within minutes. The fibres themselves are too tough to chew, so they stay at the side of the bowl.

Kitchen science

Why the lime goes in after the heat is off

Lime's scent comes from volatile compounds such as limonene, which evaporate in a boil. Heat also changes the taste of citrus juice and adds bitterness. Lime added to hot but not boiling broth keeps a sharp sourness and a fresh scent.

Kitchen science

Why the heat feels stronger in a clear broth

Capsaicin, the hot compound in chillies, binds to heat receptors in the mouth and dissolves in fat rather than water. In a lean clear broth it meets the tongue directly; in a coconut milk version the fat surrounds it and the heat softens. That is why nam khon and tom kha feel gentler.

Kitchen science

Why chicken thighs stay juicy

Thighs have more collagen and fat than breast. Thin strips cook in 6 minutes at a gentle boil, and the collagen keeps them moist. Chicken breast taken past 70 °C contracts and loses water fast, so if you use it, add it for 4 minutes only.

Tom yum in every kitchen

Tom yum gai, chicken

The recipe here: a clear broth, nam sai in Thai, with strips of chicken thigh, mushrooms and tomatoes.

Nam khon, creamy

In the creamy version evaporated milk and roasted chilli paste go in, and the soup turns orange and gentler. In a kosher meat version the milk is replaced with 200 ml of coconut milk.

Tom kha gai

A close relative based on coconut milk, in which galangal, kha in Thai, is the star. It is less sour, less hot and sweeter.

Tom yum pla, fish

Chunks of firm white fish that go in for just 4 minutes. Here a kosher certified fish sauce can be used, because there is no meat in the pot.

Tom yum het, mushrooms

Vegetable stock, three kinds of mushroom and tofu, soy sauce and a little sugar. The pot is parve and vegan.

Tom yum goong

The famous shrimp version, sometimes with a chilli paste that contains dried shrimp. It is not kosher, and those who keep kosher swap the shrimp for chunks of fish.

Common Tom yum problems and how to fix them

My tom yum came out bitter

The lime boiled in the pot, or the galangal cooked too long. Add a teaspoon of sugar and a little stock to balance. Next time add the lime only after turning off the heat, and simmer the aromatics for 5 to 10 minutes only.

The soup has no lemongrass scent

The stalks were not bruised, or the dry upper part was used. Use only the bottom 10 cm, peel off the tough outer leaf and bruise well.

The soup is too hot

Lift out the chillies, thin with stock and add a teaspoon of sugar. 100 ml of coconut milk softens the heat even more, and the soup becomes nam khon.

The chicken came out dry and tough

It cooked too long or at a hard boil. Cut thin strips, cook for 6 minutes at a gentle boil, and choose thighs over breast.

My tom yum is bland or too sour

The balance of sour, salty and sweet has shifted. If it is bland add soy sauce and salt; if it is too sour add a little sugar and stock. Taste after each addition.

Storing, freezing and reheating

2 days

In the fridge

1 month, broth only

In the freezer

2+4

To cool

Bring it from 60 to 21 °C within two hours and down to 5 °C within four more. Split a big pot into shallow boxes.

75 °C

Reheating

Reheat to a gentle boil and add a fresh squeeze of lime, because the sourness and scent fade in the fridge. Warm the chicken for 2 minutes only.

Nutrition of Tom yum

From our recipe, per bowl and per 100 g, next to the national food database.

ServingkcalProtein, gFat, gCarbs, gFibre, g
Our recipe, a 500 ml bowl27318.615.116.02.2
Our recipe, 100 ml553.73.03.20.4

What the ingredients of Tom yum cost

What each ingredient costs in one pot, and where to buy it.

IngredientPriceIn this potWhere to buy
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, in thin strips₪35 per kg₪17Supermarket
Oyster or button mushrooms, halved₪43 per kg₪11Greengrocer
Lemongrass stalks, cut on the diagonal and bruised₪55 per kg₪4.4Asian grocer
Galangal, thinly sliced₪80 per kg₪3.2Asian grocer (hard to find)
Tomatoes, quartered₪7.9 per kg₪1.6Greengrocer
Soy sauce, in place of fish sauce₪42 per litre₪1.3Supermarket
Makrut lime leaves, torn₪250 per kg₪1Asian grocer (hard to find)
Coriander, leaves and stems₪4.9 each₪1Greengrocer
Small onion, in thick wedges₪5.9 per kg₪0.6Greengrocer
Small Thai chillies, crushed₪13 per kg₪0.1Greengrocer
Sugar₪5.5 per kg₪0Supermarket
Salt₪2.1 per kg₪0Supermarket

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026, VAT included. Vegetable prices change with the season.

From the pantry: what Tom yum needs

Pantry

Lemongrass stalks, cut on the diagonal and bruised

Price and where to buy
Pantry

Soy sauce, in place of fish sauce

Make Tom yum a meal

Shabbat

Ready Shabbat food

Soup, hamin, mains and sides, with a quantity calculator and prices.

Plan Shabbat
Hosting

Hosting trays

9 trays to go with the soup, with a planner by number of guests.

Tray planner
Events

Catering

A whole menu in grams per guest, with a reheating table.

Menus

What to serve with Tom yum

Serve piping hot in bowls with fresh coriander on top and a small bowl of jasmine rice on the side, as in Thailand. Lime wedges and sliced chilli on the table for anyone who wants more.

Tom yum in large quantities: events, offices and communities

How much of everything by number of guests, at a 500 ml bowl. For institutional pots, catering and community kitchens.

GuestsLitres30 l potsCost of ingredients
25121₪258
50251₪517
100502₪1,034
2001004₪2,068
50025010₪5,170

Every ingredient for any number of guests is in the calculator above: type the number of people.

Order Tom yum

A ready pot for Shabbat, an event or the office, ordered ahead.

  • Cooked to order, for Shabbat, an event or the office.
  • Tell us how many people and when, and we send a quote.
  • Delivery in Tel Aviv from ₪35, free over ₪750.
Ask for a quote for Tom yum

Order Tom yum for a large event

Large orders in Israel and abroad: events, offices, synagogues, communities and institutions.

  • In Israel: cooked in Tel Aviv and delivered to events in the area, and to large events anywhere in the country on a quote.
  • Abroad: for communities, events and restaurants. Tell us where, how many and when, and we come back with a quote and options.
  • Institutional quantities and a shopping list for any number of guests, in the calculator above.
Ask for a large-order quote

Frequently asked questions

What is tom yum?

A Thai hot and sour soup, scented with lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves and seasoned with lime, chilli and a salty sauce. Tom means to boil, and yum is a Thai mix of sour and hot flavours.

Can tom yum be kosher?

Yes. Make it with chicken, fish or mushrooms instead of shrimp. With chicken, leave out fish sauce, since a kosher kitchen does not cook fish with meat, and check that ready made pastes contain no shrimp.

What is the difference between tom yum and tom kha?

Tom yum is a clear, sour and hot broth. Tom kha cooks in coconut milk, the galangal comes through more, and it is gentle and slightly sweet. Both use the same aromatics.

What can I use instead of galangal and lemongrass?

Fresh ginger instead of galangal, and lemon and lime zest instead of lemongrass. The soup will be good, but different. Better to buy them frozen at an Asian grocer and keep them in the freezer.

What is tom yum paste?

A ready mix of chilli, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, garlic and shallot, often with dried shrimp and fish sauce too. It saves work, but in a kosher kitchen check the ingredients and the certification.

How long does tom yum take?

About 50 minutes: 20 minutes to prepare the aromatics and chicken, and half an hour on the stove including bringing it to the boil. With ready chicken stock it is even quicker.

Do you eat the lemongrass and lime leaves?

No. They are tough and fibrous and are there only for scent. Leave them at the side of the bowl, or strain the broth before adding the chicken if you want a clean bowl.

How many calories are in Tom yum?

A 500 ml bowl of Tom yum made with our recipe has about 273 calories and 18.6 g of protein. Per 100 ml: 55 calories.

How much does it cost to make Tom yum at home?

A pot of 4 bowls costs about ₪41 at Israeli shelf prices in October 2026, about ₪10 a bowl. The calculator above works it out for any number of people.

Every soup in Israel

75 soups, each with a pot calculator, a price list and the science. Search by community, time, calories or cost.

All the soups

More soups

RamenIllustration
Japanese

Ramen

Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup built in five layers: broth, tare, aroma oil, noodles and toppings. In our…

PhoIllustration
Vietnamese

Pho

Pho is the national beef soup of Vietnam: a clear bone broth simmered for six hours with charred onion and…

Miso soupIllustration
Japanese

Miso soup

Miso soup is the everyday soup of Japan: a clear dashi of kombu and dried bonito flakes, with miso stirred…

Fish soupIllustration
Tunisian, Moroccan

Fish soup

Mediterranean fish soup starts with a half hour stock of white fish heads and frames, and goes on with…