Tom Ka Gha soup is a delicious and comforting Thai soup that is sure to warm you up on a cold day. It is a creamy coconut milk-based soup that is packed with flavors of lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and galangal. The soup is usually served with mushrooms, chicken, or tofu and is garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge.

I make this soup often during winter. I’ll be honest my kids have not acquired a taste for it, but my hubby loves it a lot. The soup’s unique flavor comes from the combination of spices and herbs that are used in the recipe. Lemongrass and galangal give the soup its distinct citrus-like flavor, while the ginger and garlic add a subtle spice. The soup is also enriched with the creamy flavor of coconut milk and is often garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge for added flavor.

Tom Ka Gha soup is typically served with jasmine rice or noodles and can be enjoyed either as a main meal or as a starter. The soup is also a great way to get in your daily dose of vegetables, as it can be made with a variety of vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

Why Do We Love Soups in Winter?

… and even in summer!?

Soups are an excellent way to get a range of nutrients in one meal. They are a great source of hydration and can contain a range of vegetables, grains, and proteins. Soups are low in fat and calories, so they are a great choice for those trying to lose weight. Soups can also help you feel fuller for longer and are easy to digest, making them a great choice for those who have digestive issues. Additionally, many soups can be made ahead of time and stored for easy meals in the future.

Tom Kha Gai Soup

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Recipe by Dish Lingo Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: ThaiDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

370

kcal

TOM KA GAI is one of the most famous soups in Thai cuisine, along with TOM YAM soup and my favorite, as it is prepared with chicken.
The name of this soup consists of several parts and is translated as Gai (kai) in Thai is chicken, and “kha” is galangal. 
It turns out, "Chicken Soup with Galangal."
 TOM KHA GAI is prepared very easily and fast, the main thing is to buy its exotic ingredients ...  

What can be replaced and with what?! 

Let's start with the most difficult (in terms of availability) ingredient: 
Straw mushrooms -  CAOGU (STRAW MUSHROOMS). 
It is an edible mushroom that grows in the tropics and subtropics. 
Their leg grows from a special “bulb, in which young mushrooms hide entirely. 
Here you can safely REPLACE them with Oyster mushrooms.

Galangal, Lemongrass, and lime leaves are sold in many supermarkets and oriental stores.
If you could not find these ingredients fresh, you can safely buy them dried. 
Coconut milk can be used dry and diluted with water.

Of course, there are many recipes, like any dish, but I bring to your attention a fairly authentic recipe made 
from real Asian products and without adding extra ingredients (eggplants, tomatoes, carrots). 
If you manage to collect the necessary ingredients in any form (fresh, dry, pasta), I HIGHLY recommend trying to cook this extraordinary soup! 

It combines various tastes: sour, sweet, spicy, and salty, which is very characteristic of Thai cuisine!

 P.S. I buy all the ingredients at once several times and send them in a tightly closed container to the freezer- they can be stored there for more than one month ( 
without loss of taste and color)! 

Ingredients

• 1 1 chicken breasts

• 4 cups 4 chicken bouillon

• 1/4 pound 1/4 Oyster mushrooms

• 1 1 galangal root

• 1 1 green chili pepper

• 1 1 red chili pepper

• 2 2 stalks lemongrass

• 12 12 kaffir lime leaves

• 1 ounce 1 lime juice

• 2 tbsp 2 fish sauce

• 1 tbsp 1 palm sugar

• 2 tbsp 2 avocado oil

• 1 1 bunch cilantro

• 1 can 1 coconut milk

Directions

• With a mortar and pestle (or the flat side of a knife), crush and cut the lemongrass into small pieces. Cut the galangal root into thin slices. Cut the chili pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut into thin half rings.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the vegetable oil, and spread the lemongrass, chili, and galangal. Warm up, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.
• Add coconut milk and chicken broth to the pot and stir. Cut the chicken into small thin slices. Add to soup.
• We take out the straw mushrooms from the brine and cut them in half (largely cut the oyster mushrooms).
• Put the mushrooms in a saucepan, and add 10 kaffir lime leaves (if they are very large, cut them into several pieces). Simmer until the chicken is done (7 minutes) - DO NOT BOIL (to prevent the coconut milk from curdling)!
• Add lime juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. We taste the soup - it should be creamy-sour-sweet-spicy, without the predominance of any one taste! If necessary, add fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, or chili. Pour into plates, put a leaf of kaffir lime in each, and add cilantro greens. In Thailand, this soup is often served with boiled rice; galangal slices and lime leaves are not eaten (left on a plate). ENJOY!