Tom Kha Gai - Thai Coconut Soup
When it comes to traditional Thai food, aromatic Tom Kha Gai is the first thing that comes to mind. This coconut milk-based soup is made with a piquant and spicy combination of galangal, lemongrass, and lime juice along with several other key ingredients. There are many variations of this soup in Thailand, but perhaps the most well-known version is the Tom Kha Gai or Coconut Soup. The most essential ingredients used to prepare this dish are galangal (a root similar to ginger), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk.
Ingredients
- galangal root
- lemongrass
- red chili peppers
- kaffir lime leaves
- minced garlic
- white onion
- cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1:2:2 ratio of water, coconut milk, and chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- crimini mushrooms
- 1 pound chicken breast/thigh
- cilantro
- lime juice
Instructions
- In a big pot, add that water, coconut milk, and chicken broth and cook over medium heat.
- Use a pestle and mortar to smash the galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Then add them plus the red chili to the pot.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes for the vegetables to release all of their aromatic flavors.
- Pour the mixture through a stainless steel colander over a bowl to collect the broth then discard the remaining vegetables.
- In another pot, saute the garlic, chicken meat, and onion. Add the broth prepped in the previous step, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms.
- Season with fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
- Garnish with cilantro and back pepper
Notes
If you don’t have fish sauce, you can use salt and chicken stock as an alternative. But really, fish sauce is what really brings out the rich and flavorful taste of this dish.
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