Coconut Galangal Chicken Soup (Tom Ka Gai)

September 18, 2009

Coconut Galangal Chicken Soup (Tom Ka Gai) © kvalifood.com

One of the classic Thai soups, built on the aromatic trinity of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal simmered in coconut milk. It’s smooth, comforting, and more subtle than many Thai dishes. The name only credits galangal, but all three aromatics are essential. Serves 4, about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 ¾ dl chicken stock, unsalted
450 g chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp salt
3 ½ dl coconut milk
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut into 5 cm pieces
10 slices galangal, sliced into thin rounds
5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into chunks
2-3 Thai chilies, crushed just until broken
1 1/2-2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
150 g straw (or oyster mushrooms), cut into bite-sized pieces
2-2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
For garnish: chopped cilantro (or green onions)
For serving: jasmine rice (optional)

Directions

Combine the chicken stock, chicken, and salt in a medium pot. Simmer gently for 15 minutes with the lid loosely on, until the chicken is fork tender.

Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, Thai chilies, 1 1/2 Tbsp of the fish sauce, and the palm sugar. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to let the aromatics infuse.

Add the mushrooms and cook for another 1-2 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp of the lime juice. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce and/or lime juice as needed.

Garnish with chopped cilantro (or green onions). Serve the soup on its own, pour it over rice, or add rice to the bowl.

Notes

The stock and chicken can be cooked in advance.
The lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves are left in the soup traditionally but are not meant to be eaten. Remove them before serving or warn your guests.
The soup is usually mildly spiced. For more heat, break up the chilies to release their seeds.
If you don’t have chicken stock, use chicken drumettes instead of thighs and simmer them in salted water with some aromatics. The bones will create a stock by the time the meat is tender. Bone-in thighs also work - debone them, crack the bones, and simmer the bones alongside the meat.