Did UNESCO list a restaurant?
No. What was inscribed is the knowledge of making tom yum kung and the related food culture. It does not mean that any restaurant has been certified.
Tom Yum Kung
Tom Yum Kung · ต้มยำกุ้ง
Try tom yum kung, a hot broth where the scent of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves rises from the bowl. It is Thailand’s signature soup, made hot and sour with prawns. A spoonful gives you sourness, heat and herbs all at once. If you are eating with friends or family, order rice and share a bowl of tom yum kung.
Tom yam kung 1 · Vee Satayamas · CC BY 2.0
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What does it taste like?
The broth carries the flavour of prawns, with sourness and heat on top. Lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves give tom yum its distinctive aroma. It can be made with a clear broth or a rich one, so dishes with the same name can taste a little different.
If you cannot eat prawns, choose another dish instead of tom yum kung.
The basics
- Dish
- Tom Yum Kung · Tom Yum Kung
- Thai name
- ต้มยำกุ้ง
- Type
- Soups and curries
- Region
- Central · Thailand’s signature dish
- Main ingredients
- Prawns, with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves for aroma. The seasonings and broth vary with the recipe.
The dish and where it comes from
Tom yum kung is a dish whose preparation has been passed down in homes and communities. The knowledge and culture around it were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. It is not a certification given to a particular restaurant but recognition of the culture that people have passed on by making and sharing the dish.
How to order and eat it
- Look at whether the menu offers a clear or a rich broth, and choose. If you would like it less spicy, say so when you order. Broth that is already simmering can be hard to adjust.
- Take the broth a spoonful at a time with rice. If you are with others, ladle it into individual bowls to share the prawns and broth.
- The tough lemongrass stalks and aromatics in the broth are there for flavour. Pick out the prawns and the pieces you want to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Is every tom yum a prawn soup?
No. Kung means prawn, and there are tom yums made with other ingredients. Looking at the name that follows tom yum on the menu helps you choose the main ingredient.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources and references
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
Sharing image credit: Vee Satayamas · CC BY 2.0