Level up your stir fry game with Tom Yam Fried Noodles: The perfect blend of spicy, tangy, and savoury.

I always have Tom Yam Paste at home. The funny thing is I very rarely make tom yam (tom yum) with it. Instead I like to make Tom Yum stir fries with it! Tom Yam stir fried with whatever protein and vegetables you have at home makes for a great easy and flavourful dish to serve with rice. I also LOVE to make Tom Yam Fried Rice, and this Tom Yam Fried Noodles. I daresay I make this as often as I make my Mee Goreng.

The beauty of Tom Yam Fried Noodles is that you can use pretty use ANY noodles, even pasta! In fact I use pasta a lot since I always have some form of it at home.

Why You will Love this recipe?

a. TOM YAM BURST IN EVERY BITE: The marriage of spicy, tangy, and aromatic elements in Tom Yam adds an explosion of taste to the dish. Each bite tantalizes your taste buds, leaving you craving for more.

b. VERSATILITY: This recipe will work with a lot of noodle types! As a fried noodle dish, you can easily customise it to suit different dietary preferences and restrictions. I added seafood here, but you can easily replace with chicken, tofu or your protein of choice. You can also use a variety of your favourite vegetables!

c. QUICK & EASY: With the use of ready made tom yum paste, this recipe offers a convenient and satisfying option for those busy weeknights when you crave a satisfying one-dish homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen.

Ingredients to make Tom Yum Fried Noodles

To create the perfect Tom Yam Fried Noodles, you will need the following key ingredients:

a. Noodles: Whatever noodles you like! I love using this hokkien noodles with these, or pasta! The thicker, doughy noodles can take on the bold Tom Yam flavours very well. With pasta I like that you can save some of that starchy pasta water for a bit more creaminess in the final dish. If you want to stay authentically Thai (although Tom Yum Noodles are more of a modern Thai creation) you can choose flat rice noodles or rice stick noodles, commonly known as “Pad Thai” noodles. These noodles have a delicate texture that absorbs the flavors of the Tom Yam sauce.

b. Tom Yam Paste: Look for a high-quality Tom Yam paste at your local Asian grocery store. Maesri and Mae Pranom are good brands or you prepare your own! I have a recipe for it right here, they take a bit of prep work but they last long!

c. Protein: Personally I love some quick-cooking shrimp and squid, but add whatever proteins you like such as chicken, tofu, or even a combination. These proteins add substance and complement the flavours of the dish.

d. Vegetables: Vegetables add a vibrant touch and texture while enhancing the nutritional value. I used tomatoes along with some crunchy long beans and baby corn here, but feel free to experiment with other vegetables of your choice.

e. Lime Juice and Fish Sauce: Lime juice and fish sauce are crucial to achieving the signature tangy and savoury taste of Tom Yam. Adjust the quantities to your preference, balancing the flavours just right. The amount of fish sauce is also dependent on the salt levels of your Tom Yum Paste. Some tom yum paste are exceptionally salty as preservatives, so you might not need to even add any fish sauce.

f. Fresh Herbs & Aromatics: I sauteed bruised lemongrass and makrut lime leaves to truly level up the dish! Garnish your Tom Yam Fried Noodles with a generous amount of fresh cilantro. These herbs add brightness and elevate the dish’s overall aroma.

**Do I really need to add the herbs and aromatics?**

There’s no such thing as ‘must-do’ in cooking, so of course, if you don’t have the aromatics at hand, you can make do with the tom yum paste.

BUT adding the herbs and aromatics makes a world of a difference. Even with the best tom yum paste, there’s a lack of fragrance that only the fresh herbs and aromatics can elevate:

Lemongrass: Bruise the lemongrass and chop into big chunks to release its flavours.
Makrut Lime Leaves: Tear or bruise the lime leaves to release its flavours.
Cilantro

How to Make Tom Yum Fried Noodles

1. Prep Ingredients

Cook noodles if needed. Save some of the pasta cooking liquid for later.

If using fresh noodles, there is no prep required; just toss it straight in the pan!

2. Saute Aromatics with Tom Yum Paste

Add oil to a pan and saute onions, garlic, bruised lemongrass and bird’s eye chillies if using. Once fragrant, add tom yam paste and stir to combine with the aromatics to release its flavours.

3. Cook Proteins

Add proteins next and stir fry to combine. Allow to almost cook.

Push proteins to one side, and scramble in eggs to cook. Instead of scrambling the eggs immediately, I like to leave the egg to slightly cook, before gently flipping the eggs to break them. This way I get big chunks of eggs in my noodles, versus scrambled eggs.

If using makrut lime leaves, tear or bruise the leaves to add it in as well.

I also added tomatoes at this stage, because I wanted a more cooked down tomato.

4. Add Noodles

Add noodles next, along with vegetables.

Season with fish sauce, sugar and I also added golden mountain sauce, or maggi seasoning sauce but this is optional.

For easier tossing, add a couple dashes of pasta water or water.

Stir fry the noodles until well incorporated with the tom yam paste.

5. The Final Touch

Turn off the heat. With the heat turned off, and as an important final touch, add cilantro and lime juice. This will add incredible freshness to the dish!

Stir fry to combine and ready to serve. Serve with a side of chilli powder and more lime wedges.

How to level up Tom Yam Fried Noodles?

Spicier: Tom Yam Fried Noodles is delicious without any spice, but of course, I love a bit of a kick to my dishes! Add bird’s eye chillies to the noodles.

Creamier: Add a splash of Coconut Milk for additional creaminess! You can also use heavy cream.

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