Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Coconut milk — 400 ml (1 3/4 cups)
- Chicken stock — 400 ml (1 3/4 cups)
- Lemongrass, bruised and cut into lengths — 3 stalks
- Galangal — 5 slices
- Kaffir lime leaves, torn — 5
- Chicken thigh, thinly sliced — 400 g (14 oz)
- Mushrooms, halved — 150 g (5 oz)
- Fish sauce — 3 tbsp
- Lime juice — 3 tbsp
- Red chillies, bruised (adjust to taste) — 2–3
- Fresh coriander, chopped, to serve — 2 tbsp
Method
- Combine the coconut milk and chicken stock in a medium pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the aromatics.
- Add the sliced chicken and mushrooms, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in the fish sauce and bruised chillies, and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and adjust the balance of flavours, then scatter with coriander before serving hot.
Introduction: Tom kha gai balances the same bright, aromatic base as tom yum with the richness of coconut milk,
creating a milder, creamier soup that remains deeply fragrant with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime
leaves.
Cultural Background: Tom kha gai balances the same bright, aromatic base as tom yum with the richness of coconut milk,
creating a milder, creamier soup that remains deeply fragrant with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime
leaves. It's a comforting, widely loved dish across Thailand.
Tips: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil, especially once the coconut milk is added, to prevent it from splitting. Add the lime juice at the end, off the heat, to preserve its bright flavour.
Variations: Use shrimp instead of chicken for tom kha goong. Add a spoonful of chilli paste in oil (nam prik pao) for extra depth. A vegetarian version, tom kha het, can be made by omitting the chicken and using extra mushrooms and
tofu with vegetable stock and soy sauce in place of fish sauce.
Tom Kha Het (Vegetarian Version): Omit the chicken and use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
Increase the mushrooms to 300 g (10 oz) and add 200 g (7 oz) cubed firm tofu. Replace the fish sauce
with an equal amount of soy sauce. Proceed exactly as directed.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, without boiling hard.
FAQs:
Q: What's the difference between tom yum and tom kha?
A: Tom kha is made with coconut milk for a creamier, milder soup, while tom yum is a clear, more intensely sour and spicy broth.
Q: Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?
A: Yes, though thigh meat tends to stay more tender and flavourful in the simmering broth.
Q: Is this soup very spicy?
A: It's typically milder than tom yum due to the coconut milk, though you can adjust the number of chillies to taste.
- Coconut milk — 400 ml (1 3/4 cups)
- Chicken stock — 400 ml (1 3/4 cups)
- Lemongrass, bruised and cut into lengths — 3 stalks
- Galangal — 5 slices
- Kaffir lime leaves, torn — 5
- Chicken thigh, thinly sliced — 400 g (14 oz)
- Mushrooms, halved — 150 g (5 oz)
- Fish sauce — 3 tbsp
- Lime juice — 3 tbsp
- Red chillies, bruised (adjust to taste) — 2–3
- Fresh coriander, chopped, to serve — 2 tbsp
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