This is a classic found in Thai restaurants. Once you have
the ingredients it’s fairly simple to combine. I put it into the category of an
infusion as it’s almost like making tea. You add all the ingredients together
and add the chicken and mushrooms. I like to keep the lemongrass pieces in when
serving. People unfamiliar with them might need to be told not to chew and
swallow. The same for the ginger though you can chew and swallow. You can make
this soup as spicy as you like or not at all.
CHICKEN COCONUT SOUP (Tom Kha Gai)
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut
milk
13.5 oz chicken broth
or water
1 lemongrass
stalk, cut in 1-inch pieces
6 thin slices fresh ginger
or galangal
¼-1/2 pound boneless/skinless chicken, breast or thigh, bite-sized pieces
1 cup white or shiitake mushrooms,
thin sliced
1 zest of one lime
or 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon lime
juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Thai
fish sauce (nam pla), or more to taste
1 teaspoon brown
sugar
1 teaspoon red Thai
chili paste, or more to taste
seasalt
1 small red or green Thai
chilies or 1 jalapeno, thin
sliced diagonally, seeds removed
1 green onion,
thin sliced
fresh cilantro leaves
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| Lemongrass: bottom one is peeled of the outer stalk. |
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| Array of ingredients: Cut lemongrass, cut mushrooms, fish sauce, Thai red chili paste, sugar, cilantro |
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| Don't forget the ginger! |
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Two Thai red chilis sliced diagonally, seeds removed.
|
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| Add a can of Coconut Milk and water to a saucepan. |
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| Whisk the Coconut Milk and water together while gently heating. |
Combine and stir the coconut
milk and broth or water and
bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the lemongrass and ginger. Infuse for about a minute.
Add the lime zest,
lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili paste and mix well. Let infuse
for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms
and chicken. Poach for about 5
minutes or until cooked through. Add the Thai
chilis. Add a pinch of salt. Taste to see if it needs more salt or chili!
Serve garnished with the green onion and fresh cilantro
leaves.
To make a heartier soup add vegetables like zucchini or
carrots that are thinly sliced. Or add cellophane rice noodles that have been
soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes. Or, serve with a side of brown or
jasmine rice.
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| Soup with lemongrass and ginger added. |
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| Stir the soup. |
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| Add the lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chili paste. Then add the mushrooms. |
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| Add the chicken meat (or turkey) to poach. |
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| Finished soup, garnished with cilantro leaves and lemongrass. |
