Tom kha gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)

What does tom kha gai mean?
Tom Kha Gai means Chicken Soup with Galangal.

Authentic Tom Kha Gai - a simple delicious recipe for one of the most popular soups in Thailand! This Thai coconut chicken soup full of fragrant Thai ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger and galangal root can be prepared on a hob or in a pressure cooker, gluten-free and can be adapted for vegans.

Recipe by Sylvia Fountaine

For: 4 people / 8 servings

Preparation: 10 min, cooking: 20 min. total: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 1-2 shallots, diced

• ¼ ginger cup, cut into 1/8 inch thick disks, peel in order (piece 2 inches)
• Gala cup of galangal root, cut into 1/8 thick disks, scales in order (piece 2 inches)

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped lemon grass - or use lemon grass paste.
• 8 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegan version)
• 250g boneless boneless chicken - whole breasts or thighs (or crunchy tofu)
• 220g mushrooms (oyster mushrooms, shiitake, cremini or straw mushrooms) or other vegetables such as peppers, peas, etc.
• 2-4 fresh Thai chili peppers or finally add chili paste to taste

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk (full fat)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (1-2 small limes) to taste
• 2 teaspoons palm, coconut or brown sugar
• Serve alone, with rice or rice noodles

Instruction

• Cut the chicken into thin pieces and season with salt, pepper and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, simmer the shallots in a little oil over low heat.
• Add ginger, lemon grass, lime leaves and galalagal and 2 cups broth and sauté gently for 5 minutes and allow the broth to infuse.
• Add chicken (or tofu for vegan version) and mushrooms and gently inhale, simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
• Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, chili and salt and let them simmer gently.
• Add lime juice and sugar. Taste it.
• Season with salt and lime as needed and adjust the level of spiciness by adding another chili paste.

Notes

• At first it may smell "fishy", but after adding lime juice, everything is leveled and softened.
• Cooking coconut milk will take away some of its charming sweets, so don't boil or boil it too much, just simmer at home and not for too long.

We wish you good taste!

Video demonstration of how Tom Kha Gai cooks