Gai Thom Kha
Submitted by Kookie
Gai Thom Kha, Thai coconut chicken soup with lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce, and fresh chilies. Rich, aromatic, and sour-spicy. An authentic Thai soup made from scratch.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
2 hrsTom Kha Gai is one of those Thai soups that hits every taste receptor at once: creamy coconut, sour lime, salty fish sauce, spicy chili, and an aromatic undercurrent of lemongrass and ginger that fills the room before you even ladle it into a bowl.
The flavor base starts as a pureed paste of lemongrass, ginger, garlic, coriander roots, peppercorns, and shallots, which gets cooked in coconut milk until fragrant. Sliced chicken simmers gently in the remaining coconut milk with more lemongrass and ginger slices until tender. The hot, sour, salty seasoning goes in at the end so those bright flavors stay sharp.
The recipe also includes instructions for making coconut milk from fresh or frozen grated coconut, which produces a richer, more fragrant milk than canned versions.
Chef Tips
- Use only the bottom 6 inches of the lemongrass stalks. The upper portions are too fibrous and woody to contribute flavor.
- Coriander roots are traditional and add earthy depth that stems and leaves can’t replicate. If unavailable, use the bottom inch of cilantro stems as a substitute.
- Season with fish sauce, lime, and chilies at the very end, off the heat. Cooking these diminishes the bright, punchy flavors that define the dish.
- Don’t boil the soup hard once the chicken is in. A gentle simmer keeps the meat tender and the coconut milk from splitting.
Variations
- Shrimp version (Tom Kha Goong): Replace the chicken with large shrimp, adding them in the last 3-4 minutes of simmering.
- Mushroom addition: Add halved straw mushrooms or sliced oyster mushrooms with the chicken for a more substantial bowl.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash lemon grass and trim root ends and tough layers.
Slice bottom 6 inches thinly.
Chop 1 tablespoon of this.
Purée chopped lemon grass, 1 tablespoon of sliced ginger, garlic, peppercorns, coriander roots and shallots.
Bring 1 cup of coconut milk to boil and add lemon grass mixture.
While stirring, reduce heat to medium and add chicken, remaining coconut milk, ginger slices and lemon grass.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until chicken is tender.
Season with chilies, fish sauce and lime juice.
Decorate servings with lime leaves and coriander sprigs.
To make coconut milk: Blend 2 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut with water.
Strain through double cheesecloth, pressing out all liquid.
This is thick coconut milk.
To get thin milk, add warm water to residue from first straining.
Let stand 5 minutes, then press as before.
For coconut cream, refrigerate first pressing and cream will rise to top.
Refrigerate or freeze.
Two cups coconut makes 3 cups thick milk, of which 6 tablespoons is cream.
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