Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup)

by Tataya Kudo - July 09, 2012

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup) is one of the most popular delicious Thai foods, which is easy to make and enjoy at home. Making Tom Kha Gai, you basically need chicken, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, chilies and 20-minutes.

Tom Kha Gai recipe I am sharing with you may differ from what you usually find in most Thai restaurants overseas. Most of the time you will get boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces cooked in chicken stock and thick creamy coconut milk. Except for the fact that the chicken meat is too dried and rubbery for me, there 's nothing wrong with this version. In fact, I think it tastes pretty delicious too.

But I still prefer the old fashioned Tom Kha Gai, which made by cooking bone-in and skin-on hunks of chicken in not so thick coconut milk based aromatic soup-- the version I was growing up with. The chicken bone bring the natural sweetness to the soup and the chicken is tender and juicy. I guarantee you and your family will love it. If you really don't want the bone in your soup, try chicken thigh (preferably with skin on).

Ingredients

600 cc. water

6 chicken wings
1 chicken thigh (250 grams)

200 cc. coconut milk

3 dried galangal slices

2 tablespoon fish sauce
4 shitake mushroom

4-5 chilies, diagonal sliced or smashed with the side of Chinese cleaver

4-5 kaffir lime leaves

1 tablespoon lime juice

Method

1. Bring water to the boil. Add in chicken, cook until is done and tender.

2. Add in galangal slices, cook until aromatic. Then add in coconut milk.

3. Cook until the soup is thicken. It should take about 20 seconds or less. Be careful don't cook it too long, otherwise the fat will separate from the soup. You will get a very unappetizing Ton Kha Kai.

4. Season with fish sauce. Tear the kaffir lime leaves into small pieces, add them to the soup.

5. Add in chilies and lime juice. Be careful not to add too much chilies as they will overwhelm the soup. Remove from heat. Serve hot with a plate of steamed rice.