Tom Yummy Koon

YES, I took this picture before you even ask. Click on it for more bigger.

So this is my Tom Yum Koon. I crave the stuff so I chose to make it at home because I came across these noodles that are made with yam flour and therefore are gluten free but wait, more importantly, they're FAT and CARB free!! So I can stuff my mouth until I'm sick and not gain weight. And this is actually truly vegan because I did not use the staple fish sauce that all Thai dishes have.

I just stirred tofu, carrots, and shitake mushrooms around the soup pot with thai chili paste, galangal, and a tsp of sugar, then I added vegetable stock. The noodles come with a funny smell so you have to wash them under water for a bit and then I find that sauteeing them in a separate pan with salt, pepper, and chili flakes gives it some flavor.

When I finally added the noodles to the soup I also added lime wedges. I thought getting that mix of spicy/savory/sour would be difficult but the lime really does all the heavy lifting.

I topped it off with cilantro and that was it. Also, FYI, I know that lemongrass and kefir lime leaves would get me pretty far in the Thai soup department but I'm glad to know I was able to accomplish the same soup without the signature ingredients.