Is it a restaurant that was added to the UNESCO list?
No. What was inscribed is the knowledge of making tom yum goong and the food culture around it. It does not mean any particular restaurant has been certified.
Tom Yum Goong
Tom Yum Kung · ต้มยำกุ้ง
Try Tom Yum Goong, a hot broth with the aroma of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. It is Thailand's signature soup, simmered with shrimp and made sour and spicy. One spoonful gives you tang, heat and herbs together. If you are eating with friends or family, order rice and share a bowl of Tom Yum Goong.
Tom yam kung 1 · Vee Satayamas · CC BY 2.0
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What does it taste like?
Sour and spicy notes build on a broth that tastes of shrimp. Lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves give tom yum its distinctive aroma. Some versions are clear and others are rich, so dishes with the same name can taste a little different.
If you cannot eat shrimp, choose a different dish instead of Tom Yum Goong.
Dish basics
- Dish name
- Tom Yum Goong · Tom Yum Kung
- Thai name
- ต้มยำกุ้ง
- Type
- Soups & curries
- Region
- Central Thailand · Thailand's signature dish
- Key ingredients
- Shrimp, with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and more for aroma. Seasoning and broth vary with the recipe.
The dish and where it comes from
Tom yum goong is a dish whose cooking has been passed down in households and communities. The cooking knowledge and culture around it was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. It is not a certification for a particular restaurant, but recognition of the culture of making and sharing food that people have handed down.
How to order and eat it
- Look at whether the menu offers a clear broth or a rich one, and choose. If you want less heat, say so when you order. Broth that is already simmered may be hard to adjust.
- Sip the broth a little at a time with rice. If you are with a group, ladle it into individual bowls and share the shrimp and broth.
- The tough lemongrass stalks and aromatics in the broth are there for flavor. Pick out the shrimp and pieces you want to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Is every tom yum a shrimp soup?
No. Goong means shrimp, and there are tom yum soups made with other ingredients. Look at the name that follows tom yum on the menu to help you choose the main ingredient.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources and references
If you want to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are a good place to start. Ingredients and recipes can vary from one restaurant to the next.
Sharing image credit: Vee Satayamas · CC BY 2.0