Boil the water for the pasta, so you can cook the noodles while you are making the sauce.

Add 2 tbsp. of cooking oil to a wok or large saucepan and warm over medium-high heat.

Once pan is warm, add in the Tom Yum paste.

Stir-fry until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

Add in the thick top part of the coconut milk. Stir until combined.

If cooking with chicken, add it in now and mix it up until it’s all coated.

Add in the rest of the coconut milk, mushrooms and Thai chili paste, and stir it up.

Cook on medium high, stirring off and on, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms soft, about 15 minutes or so.

Add tomatoes, and if using shrimp, add in now too.

Be careful with the shrimp since it cooks so quickly. It might just take 1-2 minutes for it to cook. Once it’s turned pink and white and pretty, then turn off the heat.

Add fish sauce, tamarind, sugar and lime juice to taste. I like mine more on the sour end.

Place noodles on plate, and put the sauce on top. Sprinkle some cilantro and kaffir lime leaf strips on top and enjoy!