📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the bustling streets of Bangkok with this iconic Thai soup, renowned for its delicate balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors. Unlike its fiery cousin Tom Yum, Tom Kha Gai features a luscious coconut milk base that mellows the heat while highlighting the citrusy, pine-like aroma of fresh galangal. This dairy-free masterpiece is a comforting yet sophisticated bowl of soul-warming broth infused with aromatic herbs.
🥗 Ingredients
Aromatic Broth Base
- 3 cups Chicken stock (low sodium preferred)
- 2 cups Full-fat coconut milk (canned, shaken well)
- 3 inch piece Fresh galangal (peeled and sliced into thin rounds)
- 2 pieces Lemongrass stalks (bruised and cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 6-8 pieces Fresh kaffir lime leaves (torn slightly to release oils)
- 3-5 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies (bruised with a knife; adjust for heat)
Main Components
- 1 lb Chicken breast or thighs (sliced into bite-sized thin strips)
- 6 oz Oyster mushrooms (torn into bite-sized pieces; straw mushrooms also work)
- 2 pieces Shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1 medium Tomato (cut into small wedges)
Seasoning and Garnish
- 3-4 tablespoons Fish sauce (adjust to taste for saltiness)
- 1 tablespoon Palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 4-5 tablespoons Fresh lime juice (added at the very end)
- 1 tablespoon Chili oil (Nam Prik Pao) (optional, for garnish and color)
- 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro (roughly chopped for garnish)
- 2 stalks Green onions (thinly sliced)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare your aromatics: Peel the galangal and slice into thin rounds. Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass, bruise the stalks with the back of a knife, and cut into 2-inch pieces.
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2
In a large pot or dutch oven, combine the chicken stock, galangal, lemongrass, and bruised Thai chilies. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
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3
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-7 minutes. This allows the aromatics to fully infuse the broth with their essential oils.
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4
Stir in the coconut milk and the torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring the soup back to a very gentle simmer; do not let it reach a rolling boil to prevent the coconut milk from curdling or separating.
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5
Add the sliced shallots and the chicken strips to the pot. Stir gently to ensure the chicken pieces don't stick together.
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6
Simmer the chicken for about 3-4 minutes until it is just opaque and cooked through. Avoid overcooking to keep the meat tender.
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7
Add the oyster mushrooms and tomato wedges to the pot. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the mushrooms are softened.
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8
Stir in the palm sugar and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce. Let the sugar dissolve completely.
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9
Turn off the heat entirely. This is crucial: adding lime juice to boiling coconut milk can cause it to break.
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10
Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste the broth—it should be a perfect harmony of creamy, sour, and salty. Add more fish sauce or lime juice if needed.
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11
Ladle the soup into warm bowls. You can leave the galangal and lemongrass in for authenticity, but remind guests they are for flavor and not meant to be eaten.
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12
Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of Thai chili oil (Nam Prik Pao), a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and sliced green onions.
💡 Chef's Tips
Never substitute ginger for galangal; they have completely different flavor profiles (ginger is spicy/peppery while galangal is citrusy/piney). Always use full-fat canned coconut milk for the signature silky mouthfeel; light versions will result in a thin, watery broth. If you can't find fresh kaffir lime leaves, use extra lime zest, but the flavor will be slightly less floral. To make it vegan, replace the chicken with firm tofu or extra mushrooms and use a vegan 'no-fish' sauce or light soy sauce. Bruising the lemongrass and chilies is key—it breaks the cell walls and releases the aromatic oils without adding grit to the soup.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of steaming Jasmine rice to soak up the fragrant coconut broth. Pair with a crisp, cold Thai lager or a dry Riesling to cut through the richness of the coconut milk. Start the meal with fresh Thai spring rolls for a light, crunchy contrast. For a larger feast, serve alongside a spicy green papaya salad (Som Tum) to balance the creamy soup with bright acidity. Provide extra lime wedges and fish sauce on the table for guests to customize their seasoning.