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I've never met anyone who doesn't love tom ka gai. And it's so easy to make at home!
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Tom Ka Gai ต้มข่าไก่ (coconut chicken soup)
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups homemade, unsalted, chicken stock (For how to make chicken stock, see my Pork Stock video and sub chicken bones)
- 1.5 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb chicken thigh, bite-sized pieces
- 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 10 - 15 rounds galangal
- 4-5 Kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn into big chunks
- 3-4 Chilies, bruised or cut into large pieces
- 1.5 - 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp Palm sugar
- 150g Oyster mushrooms
- 2-2.5 Tbsp lime juice
Ingredients & Kitchen Tools I Use
Instructions
Bring chicken stock to a boil, then add salt and chicken. Let simmer gently for 20 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.
Add coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chilies, half the fish sauce, and palm sugar. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to infuse.
Add mushrooms, bring back to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cooked through.
Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add lime juice.
*The herbs are meant for infusion only and not meant to be eaten. Please inform your guests or remove them before serving.
Marcella
Hi Pailin,
This looks so good! We love Thai soups like tom ka gai and tom yum, but my husband is allergic to mushrooms. Is there anything you can recommend replacing them with?
Pailin Chongchitnant
You don't have to replace them with anything, it can be an all-chicken soup, but adding onions and letting them cook till tender is pretty good 🙂
Marcella
Hi Pailin,
Thank you so much! I’ll try this then.
★★★★★
Hendrik
I wonder is there a 101 on rhizomes?
In this particular case can I substitute krachai for galangal? Are galangal and krachai more similar to each other than they are to ginger? While these things are not on obtainable in Western Europe they are rather expensive. So if I can cut down on the number of ingredients that keep in the fridge or freezer that's a good thing. If however that would be detrimental to the taste of the dish I'd rather go whole hog.
★★★★
Pailin Chongchitnant
I hear you about the freezer! But unfortunately grachai and galangal taste very different from each other, so I think it's best to go whole hog!
Noshini
This was delicious!
Being vegan, I omitted the chicken/ chicken stock and fish sauce. Then I substituted it with mushroom stock, kombu sheets and filled it up with a variety of veggies and tofu.
Thank you for such a simple yet delicious recipe!
Jennie
I made it last night. It was so easy & delicious!
★★★★★
Rafal
thank you - love your style and your personality - greetings from Poland
Peter
Well-balanced spice and creaminess. Warms the soul!
★★★★★
Andrew Lisitsky
Thanks Pat. Best homemade recipe I've found. I usually double it because 4 servings just isn't enough its so good!
★★★★★
Stephen Chan
Tom Yum may be the most world renowned Thai soup, but to me, Tom Ka got my love even more, so comforting and satisfying. I usually don't just eat it straight up as a soup, but turn it into a noodle soup, equally good.
★★★★★
Michael
One of my favorit Thai soups.
The freshness because the lime leaves, lemongras and lime juice is great.
★★★★★