Tom Kha Gai
A spicy soup, made with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, chillies and chicken.
Servings: 4 – 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp galangal paste, or a 2cm piece of galangal, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 stalk lemon grass, tough outer leaves removed and inner stalk sliced finely (or 1 tsp lemongrass paste)
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 red chillies, sliced (I use milder fresno chillies, but you can replace with Thai chillies if you like it spicier)
- 10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced in half
- 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 1 liter good quality chicken stock
- 1 (14 oz/ 400ml) can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)
- 6 cooked chicken thigh fillets, shredded
Optional – it you want to thicken the soup slightly:
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tbsp cold water to form a paste/slurry
To Serve:
- small bunch fresh coriander, roughly torn
- 2 tsp chilli oil, for drizzling
- 1 lime, sliced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
- Add the garlic, galangal paste, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, mushrooms, and Thai curry paste. Cook for one minute, stirring often.
- Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and shredded chicken.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is fully heated through. If you would like to thicken the soup at all, slowly pour in the cornflour/water slurry, whilst stirring.
- Taste the soup and season with a little salt and pepper if needed.
- Divide between bowls, then top with fresh coriander and drizzle with a little chilli oil. Top with slices of lime before serving.
