Tom Kha Gai (ต้มข่าไก่)
Overview
Tom kha gai is a creamy Thai chicken soup made with coconut milk and perfumed with galangal, which gives the dish its name. Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chillies are simmered in coconut milk and stock, then slices of chicken and mushrooms are added. Fish sauce and lime juice balance the soup so it is rich, salty, sour and gently spicy at once. It is milder than tom yum and is a favourite in Thai restaurants abroad, usually eaten with jasmine rice.
Pictures
History
Tom kha gai belongs to the family of Thai boiled soups that are flavoured with fresh herbs rather than long-cooked stocks. Coconut milk is central to the cooking of central and southern Thailand, and this soup brings it together with the region's key aromatics. Its gentle flavour made it one of the first Thai dishes many foreigners learned to love.
Main ingredients
Chicken, coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice. The soup is built on coconut milk and stock and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~35 min
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken thighs, sliced
- 400 ml coconut milk, 400 ml stock
- 6 slices galangal, 2 lemongrass stalks, 5 lime leaves
- 150 g mushrooms
- 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp lime juice
- chillies, coriander
Method
- Simmer coconut milk and stock with galangal, lemongrass and lime leaves for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes.
- Season off the heat with fish sauce, lime juice and crushed chillies.
- Serve with coriander.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.