Tofu Tom Yum, Vegan Thai Noodle Soup Recipe

Thai tofu tom yum soup is one of the lightest, healthiest, and intensely flavourful meals. It's umami-rich, citrusy, salty, and subtly sweet.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Ingredients

For the Tofu*

▢ 1 litre oil to deep fry**
▢ 160 g extra firm tofu pressed and cut into triangles
▢ 2 tablespoons cornflour cornstarch in the U.S.

For the Noodles

▢ 80 g fine rice noodles
▢ boiling water to soak noodles

To Garnish the Tofu Tom Yum Soup

▢ 1 handful fresh coriander cilantro, chopped, to garnish
▢ 2 green onions finely sliced, to garnish
▢ bird's eye chillies sliced, to garnish
▢ ½ lime quartered

Instructions

Fry the Tofu

Skip this step if using tofu puffs. You can also at raw tofu in the soup (it will heat in the broth). If you want to fry your own tofu, you can air-fry, shallow-fry, deep-fry, or even bake. These instructions are for deep-frying.
Preheat 1 litre oil to 180℃ (356℉). Cut 160 g extra firm tofu into cubes or triangles and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons cornflour and gently shake the bowl to coat the tofu.
Once the oil comes to temperature, carefully add the tofu. Fry until golden brown, then turn off the heat. Drain any excess oil and set aside until later.

Make the Tom Yum Broth

To a large stockpot over medium heat, add 1 litre water** and 1 vegetable stock cube**. Remove the outer layer of 2 stalks lemongrass and cut them into two. Add these to the stock. Tear 5 leaves kaffir lime, and add these too, along with ½ inch fresh galangal , 3 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, and 1 teaspoon chilli paste. Stir, and then wait until the mixture comes to a boil.
Once the broth boils, strain it into another pan through a metal sieve or cheesecloth. Discard the aromatics, and put the clear broth back on to cook and medium heat.
Season the clear broth with black pepper and salt to taste. Next, add 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 lime, juiced, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, and 4 teaspoons vegan fish sauce. Taste the broth and adjust as needed.
Once the broth is seasoned, add the vegetables: 1 large tomato (quartered), 40 g carrot (sliced), 20 g green beans (trimmed), and 40 g mushrooms (quartered). Cook the vegetables until al-dente, which should take around five minutes.
Turn the heat to low-medium, then add 200 ml coconut milk**** and the fried tofu.

Make the Rice Noodles

Add 80 g fine rice noodles to a large, heatproof bowl or saucepan. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the noodles completely. Leave them to sit for two minutes, then drain.

Assemble and Garnish the Tom Yum Soup

Add a portion of noodles to a deep ramen or soup bowl. Ladle over the broth and vegetables. Repeat for the remaining bowls. Garnish to taste with 1 handful fresh coriander, 2 green onions, bird's eye chillies, and ½ lime, quartered.

Notes

* If you would prefer, you can use pre-made deep-fried tofu puffs. They're delicious and it cuts down on the cooking time too. Alternatively, use raw tofu (it will heat in the broth). If you do choose to fry your own tofu, although these instructions are for deep-frying, you could also bake, air-fry, or shallow-fry.

** Instead, you can use one litre of vegetable stock from a bottle/carton.

*** You can make tofu tom yum without coconut milk, making it "tom yum kung" — however, you may wish to add less chilli paste.