Tom Kha Gai: Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2
Description
This soup is all about the balance in flavors: refreshing broth, hints of lime and an undertone of heat from the chili.
Ingredients
- Chicken stock : 1 1/2 cup (360 ml)
- Boneless chicken pieces (breast or tenderloin) : 1 cup (240 ml)
- Fresh Lemongrass : 1 stalk
- Fresh Galangal : 1 inch piece thinly sliced
- Fish Sauce : 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Thai bird's eye chili : 3-4 fresh red color
- Lime : 1
- Coconut milk : 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Thai basil leaves : 1 sprig
Instructions
- Heat the chicken stock and reduce it slightly. I prefer homemade chicken stocks made from bone in chicken pieces with a pinch of salt.
- Only the white portion of lemon grass is usable. Smash the white portion of lemon grass, and scrape the inner white fleshy part and put it into the chicken stock pot.
- This will help to release the flavour. You can also put the outer thick hard part of lemon grass too in the stock pot for extra flavourings.
- Crushed the galangal a bit and add it to the chicken stock.
- Add the chicken pieces and bring the whole thing to a gentle boil.
- Simmer and cover till the chicken is partially cooked through.
- Add the coconut milk, followed by fish sauce, bird chillies (slit them or smash them), and juice of one lime.
- Simmer on low heat till the chicken is well cooked.
- Remove immediately and check for the seasonings.
- A few more drops of fish sauce may be required to get the flavours right.
- If you want it to make more spicy, you can sprinkle few more bird chillies over the soup.
- Stir in the kaffir lime leaves or Thai basil leaves, close the lid and let it remain sit for few minutes.
- Serve it with steamed rice.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
Sour, salty, hot and a little sweet, all in the same spoonful of cream-colored broth. If you have ordered Thai takeout more than once you have almost certainly met tom kha gai, possibly without catching the name. It is the legendary Thai chicken and coconut soup, and it is absolutely wonderful. No wonder it has become a global favorite!
The kha sitting in the middle of that name is galangal. Galangal looks a great deal like ginger… but it is not ginger. It is sharper, with something piney and almost citrusy about it. Ginger works in a pinch if that is what you can get, but the soup comes out milder and less floral for it, so galangal is worth a trip to an Asian grocery if there is one near you.
Lemongrass is the other important ingredient. Only the white part of the stalk is any use. Smash it, scrape the soft inside into the stock pot, and throw the tough outer pieces in as well for extra flavor, then fish them out before serving.
After that it is all balance. Fish sauce, lime, bird's eye chilies, and then coconut milk to round all of it off. Taste it at the very end. It almost always needs a few more drops of fish sauce than you think, in my personal experience.
Kaffir lime leaves or Thai basil should go in right at the finish, lid on, then left to sit for a few minutes. Over steamed rice it is a proper dinner, and I guarantee you it is far better than the takeout version that introduced you to it.
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Chicken Khao Soi: Curry Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Thai Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry
- Miso-Coconut Noodle Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is galangal, and can I substitute ginger for it?
Galangal is a rhizome related to ginger, common in Southeast Asian cooking, with a sharper, more citrusy, and piney flavor than ginger. I use a 1-inch piece, thinly sliced and lightly crushed before adding to the stock. Fresh ginger can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder and less floral.
How do you prepare the lemongrass for this soup?
Use only the white portion of the lemongrass stalk. Smash the white portion, then scrape out the inner white fleshy part and add it to the stock. The tough outer pieces can also go into the pot for extra flavor and removed before serving.
How do I adjust the heat level of this soup?
I use 3-4 fresh red bird’s eye chilies, which are quite hot. Slit or smash the chilies before adding them, and if you want it spicier you can sprinkle in more bird chilies over the finished soup.
