Thai Coconut Chicken Soup(Tom Kha Gai)
Tom Kha Gai, Thai coconut chicken soup built on three aromatics that do not exist anywhere else in the world together. Galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk. The broth is silky and sour and faintly floral. My mother made this on the nights the air shifted. I make it on the nights I miss her.
Equipment
- Medium heavy pot
- Sharp knife
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
- 1 pound chicken breast thinly sliced (or use equivalent amount of mushrooms for a vegan version)
- 1 stalk lemongrass cut into 2-inch pieces and smashed
- 3 slices galangal about ¼ inch thick
- 5 kaffir lime leaves torn into pieces (remove stem)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce substitute soy sauce for a vegetarian version
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 Thai chilies
- ½ cup sliced onions
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms optional
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped for garnish
- Optional: cherry tomatoes and/or red bell pepper slices for added color and texture
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients:
- Chicken and Mushrooms:Place it on a cutting board and slice it against the grain into thin strips about 1/4 inch thick. If using mushrooms, clean them with a damp cloth or by quickly rinsing and patting them dry. Slice them thinly.
- Lemongrass:Cut off the root end of the lemongrass stalks and remove any tough outer layers until you reach the tender, pale yellow part. Crush with the back of your knife. Cut the lemongrass into 2-inch pieces.
- Galangal and Thai Chilies:Peel the galangal and slice it thinly into rounds. Use about 4-5 slices, depending on their size. Thai chilies can vary in heat; if you prefer a milder soup, remove the seeds.
- Prepare the Broth: In a large pot, pour the chicken broth and add 1 cup of coconut milk. Place the pot over medium heat and stir gently until the coconut milk is fully incorporated into the broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Infuse the Broth: Once the broth is simmering, add the prepared lemongrass pieces, sliced galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies to the pot. Stir gently to distribute the ingredients evenly in the broth. Allow them to simmer together for about 5 minutes.
- Introduce the Chicken and Vegetables: Carefully add the sliced chicken (or mushrooms) and the sliced onion to the simmering broth. Stir gently to combine. Pour in the remaining coconut milk. Adjust the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook Until Tender: Continue to simmer the uncovered soup, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink inside (about 10-15 minutes for chicken). If using mushrooms, they should be tender and cooked through.
- Balance the Flavors: Add fish sauce and sugar.
- Optional Vegetables: Add cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced red bell pepper to the simmering soup if desired. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes soften, and the bell pepper slices are tender-crisp.
- Remove Aromatic Herbs: Remove the pot from the heat once the soup is fully cooked. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove and discard the slices of galangal, lemongrass pieces, kaffir lime leaves, and any Thai chilies.
- Garnish and Serve Hot: Ladle the aromatic Tom Kha Gai into bowls. Garnish each serving generously with freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Final touch, add fresh lime juice.
Notes
The aromatics go in bruised and whole, not chopped. You are steeping them like tea, drawing out their oils and their fragrance into the broth. They come out before serving. If someone bites into a piece of galangal expecting ginger, they will be surprised. Remove everything carefully before you ladle.
Do not boil this soup. Medium-low heat the entire way through. Coconut milk splits at a hard boil and the texture turns grainy and unpleasant. If you see it starting to bubble aggressively, pull the heat down immediately. The soup should move gently. That is all it needs.
Fish sauce goes in before the lime. Always. Season with fish sauce first, then brighten with lime at the very end. If you add the lime too early it loses its freshness and the sour note flattens into the broth instead of sitting on top of it where it belongs.
This Thai coconut chicken soup is better the next day. The galangal and lemongrass deepen overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently over low heat and add a fresh squeeze of lime before serving. Do not boil it reheating either. Same rule. Always the same rule.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ServingsCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 28gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 860mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g
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