Tom Kha Gai

Cameron Stillion's Note:

Thai chicken & Galangal Soup

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 2 cans coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 red Thai chile, diced
• 1 inch fresh galangal root, thinly sliced
• 1 piece fresh ginger
• 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (this is easier if the breasts are still mostly frozen when you cut them)
• 1 can straw mushroom
• 4 medium tomatoes (optional)
• 1 stalk finely chopped lemongrass (optional)
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. > bring coconut milk and broth to a boil, add thinly sliced galangal, minced ginger, and thai chiles to soup and simmer on medium for 10 minutes.
2. Add chicken slices and stir occasionally until chicken is tenderly cooked.
3. Add straw mushrooms (drained), and thinly sliced, deveined lime leaves (optional: cut a few cross-sections of lemon grass and add to the soup) (optional : cut tomatoes into largish cubes about 1" square, and add to soup).
4. Add more thai chiles if it is not spicy enough for you -- simmer for 10 more minutes.
5. When you are ready to serve, turn off the heat, add brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and stir well.
6. Then top it off with the cut cilantro.
7. Serve hot by itself or pour over rice.
8. dash chile sauce over the top to taste.

Reviews

[teaganm]

Absolutely wonderful flavor. Highly recommended. Don't be affraid of the hot chili, the coconut milk neutrolizes the hot. The soup actually has a sweet flavor. The broth is thinner than you'd expect, but it doesn't distract from the recipe at all. I found the time estimates a little short, give yourself a little extra time. I found fresh galangal root and lime leaves impossible to find on short notice. The local Asian market doesn't stock them. You really need a Thai or Vietnamise grocer. The Asian grocer recommended substituting Ginger root for the galangal root, and Lemon peels for the lime leaves. Both of these worked out fine, you just have to separate them out before serving.

[Fiona Robison]

Incredible flavor, easy and quick but tastes like an all day affair.

[Darcie Kelly]

My husband doesn't care much for chicken, and he just loves this recipe! I highly reccomend it since it is very tasty, and easy to make!