Tom yummy

Modesty aside, I consider myself a fairly good cook, a skill I probably inherited from my "mame" who prepares a mean sinigang and adobong pusit which I still can't duplicate until now. Variety wise, Im limited to the usual fare of nilaga, prito, steamed vegetables and anything that has sauteed onion and garlic in it. Im growing tired of it (so does my family but were afraid to say so hehe) so last Sunday, I announced to my husband that I am making tom yum for lunch.
I know it's silly but when I was in Thailand, I never liked tom yum. It was too spicy for me and the cilantro (juansoy) was a bit overwhelming. The only time that I did appreciate this popular Thai dish was when I had it in Boracay, at a restaurant in within the D' Mall vicinity. Forgot the name but they really serve authentic Thai dishes.
Anyway, I referred to a recipe book by Food Magazine and it proved very helpful. Just had to buy some of the ingredients in the market like lemon grass (or tanglad), shitake mushrooms, cilantro, and shrimps. But the key ingredient, surprisingly, was our local calamansi. This is what gives tom yum its sour, almost tart, taste. I also like to put lots of chopped cilantro in my soup which gives a nice flavor.
It was tom yummy! Even I was surprised by how it turned out.
Thank you Food Magazine!

(Erratum: I got the recipe from this miniature GoodHousekeeping magazine and not Food Magazine as previously mentioned)