Description
Creamy, spicy, and slightly sour, this homemade Tom Kha Gai soup features a comforting coconut milk broth flavored with rich aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, fish sauce, and fresh lime juice.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2” galangal root, sliced
- 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
- 5 large kaffir lime leaves
- 2 rounded tablespoons red curry paste
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 oz palm sugar (or coconut sugar or brown sugar)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3/4 lb raw medium shrimp, peeled, tails removed, and deveined (optional)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt to taste
- Chopped cilantro
- Chili oil (optional)
Instructions
1. In a 4-quart heavy bottomed pot, add the oil and turn the heat to medium.
2. Once the oil is warm, add the shallots, lemongrass, and galangal, and cook for 2–3 minutes until the shallots start to soften.
3. Add the kaffir lime leaves and curry paste and cook for 2 minutes until the curry paste is fragrant.
4. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Once the broth has reduced slightly, use a slotted spoon to remove the galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.
6. Add the chicken, coconut milk, heavy cream, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. After about 20 minutes, when the chicken is cooked through, add the mushrooms directly or sauté them first for added flavor.
8. If using shrimp, add them in with the mushrooms and simmer for another 4–5 minutes.
9. Season the soup to taste with salt and fresh lime juice.
10. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped cilantro and chili oil, if desired.
Notes
For the most authentic flavor, use fresh galangal and kaffir lime leaves.
Adjust lime juice and fish sauce to suit your preferred balance of salty and sour.
Sautéing the mushrooms before adding enhances their flavor, but it’s optional.
If using shrimp, make sure not to overcook them — add only at the end.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg