Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

This soup is excellent. It is both refreshing with its citrus and coconut tones and warming.

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You will need

2 cups chicken broth

3 cups coconut milk

6 kaffir lime leaves, remove the central stem

2 inches galangal, thinly sliced (no need to peel)

3 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 ½ tbsp + 1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp finely chopped palm sugar

2 tsp Thai chili paste

3 Birds Eye chilies, roughly sliced (seeds removed for less heat if desired)

1 lemongrass stalk, use only the lower pale part bruised with the back of a knife and sliced into 2 cm pieces

1.1 lbs chicken fillet, thinly sliced

5.3 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced

For serving

2 scallions, thinly sliced or chopped

Freshly chopped cilantro

Jasmine rice

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How to make it

1. Prepare all ingredients by chopping, squeezing, and slicing them.

6 kaffir lime leaves, remove the central stem

2 inches galangal, thinly sliced (no need to peel)

3 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp finely chopped palm sugar

3 Birds Eye chilies, roughly sliced (seeds removed for less heat if desired)

1 lemongrass stalk, use only the lower pale part bruised with the back of a knife and sliced into 2 cm pieces

1.1 lbs chicken fillet, thinly sliced

5.3 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced

2. Place the chicken fillet in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Mix well and let it marinate.

1.1 lbs chicken fillet, thinly sliced

1 tbsp fish sauce

3. Bring broth and coconut milk to a boil in a thick-bottomed pot.

2 cups chicken broth

3 cups coconut milk

4. Add kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, fresh chili, Thai chili paste, and lemongrass. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.

6 kaffir lime leaves, remove the central stem

2 inches galangal, thinly sliced (no need to peel)

3 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp finely chopped palm sugar

2 tsp Thai chili paste

3 Birds Eye chilies, roughly sliced (seeds removed for less heat if desired)

1 lemongrass stalk, use only the lower pale part bruised with the back of a knife and sliced into 2 cm pieces

5. Add chicken and mushrooms and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

1.1 lbs chicken fillet, thinly sliced

5.3 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced

6. Taste and adjust flavors as needed with more lemon, palm sugar, or fish sauce.

7. If the soup is too thick, thin it out with a little water.

8. Serve the soup in bowls, topped with spring onions and cilantro, alongside jasmine rice.

2 scallions, thinly sliced or chopped

Freshly chopped cilantro

Jasmine rice

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Tip: Save the upper, woody part of the lemongrass and put it in the freezer. Take it out and use it when you are going to cook Asian stock.