Tom Yam Seafood (clear, lean)

0/4

Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run

Gather everything first, then follow the steps

Protein· 2

90 g prawns (peeled, tails on)90g
60 g squid (cut into rings)60g

Vegetables· 4

50 g white mushrooms (halved)50g
50 g tomato (wedges)50g
6 g lemongrass (bruised, cut into lengths)6g
8 g red chili (bruised, to taste)8g

Sauces· 1

6 g fish sauce (~1 tsp)6g

Spices· 3

2 kaffir lime leaves (torn)2g
3 g chicken stock cube (~⅓ cube)(staple)3g
pinch of salt(staple)1g

Fruit· 1

12 g lime juice (added off the heat)12g

5 min · hands-free
Bring 500 ml water to a boil in a pot, add the lemongrass, torn kaffir lime leaves, bruised chili and stock cube, and simmer over medium heat 5 min to draw out the aromatics.
Why? A clear tom yam gets its depth from simmered aromatics, not from evaporated milk or coconut cream — these 5 min release the essential oils of the lemongrass and lime leaf, the key to a low-calorie broth that still tastes rich.
Tip: Slice the lemongrass on the diagonal and tear the lime leaves off their stems — the aroma comes out fuller.
05:00
Next up:Add the mushrooms and tomato wedges and simmer 3 min so the tomato's sweet-tang and the mushrooms' savouriness melt into the broth.
3 min · hands-free
Add the mushrooms and tomato wedges and simmer 3 min so the tomato's sweet-tang and the mushrooms' savouriness melt into the broth.
Why? Tomato and mushroom are natural umami sources that give the clear broth more depth, so you need less stock cube and salt — the body the original gets from cream comes here from the ingredients themselves.
Tip: Don't cook the tomato until it falls apart — leaving some shape keeps the broth clear.
03:00
Next up:Turn to medium-high, add the prawns and squid rings and cook 2–3 min — they're done the moment the prawns curl and turn red and the squid turns white.
3 min · hands-free
Turn to medium-high, add the prawns and squid rings and cook 2–3 min — they're done the moment the prawns curl and turn red and the squid turns white.
Why? Seafood needs only a short cook — overcooked prawns and squid turn rubbery and lose their sweetness; adding them last keeps them tender and preserves that high-protein bite.
Watch out: Squid past 3 min turns rubbery — err on the side of slightly under.
03:00
Next up:Turn off the heat, season with the fish sauce and a pinch of salt, squeeze in the lime juice last, stir and serve hot right away.
Turn off the heat, season with the fish sauce and a pinch of salt, squeeze in the lime juice last, stir and serve hot right away.
Why? Lime juice must go in off the heat — high heat cooks off its fresh tang and can turn it bitter; this final hit of sourness is what makes an authentic tom yam.
Tip: Add half the fish sauce, taste, and stop once it's salty enough — the savour comes from the seafood itself.