Tom Kha Kai: The recipe for Thailand's iconic chicken coconut soup

Tom Kha Kai is one of Thailand's signature dishes. This chicken coconut soup is made primarily with Thai aromatics, including galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Here, we introduce this flavorful culinary specialty and provide the authentic recipe for Tom Kha Kai.

A few words on Tom Kha

In Thai, “Tom” means “to boil,” and “Kha” translates to “galangal.” In other words, Tom Kha is a boiling soup with galangal. While galangal is the star ingredient, this soup is also known for other aromatics like kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, and lemongrass. These tangy and floral flavors contrast beautifully with the creaminess of coconut milk.

Unlike most Thai soups (such as Tom Yam, green curry, or massaman), Tom Kha does not use curry paste. For travelers sensitive to spices, this is the soup to try, as it's one of the rare non-spicy Thai soups.

Tom Kha also boasts significant medicinal properties thanks to its herbs and spices. Thais consume it to reduce fever, relieve cough, and improve digestion. With its high vitamin C content, this soup is also known to boost the immune system.

The authentic recipe for Tom Kha Kai

Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Ingredients for 1 serving of Tom Kha Kai:

• Chicken breast
• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 piece of galangal
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 whole or crushed Thai chili peppers (use as many as you like)
• 1 cup of oyster or straw mushrooms
• 1 tomato
• 2 shallots
• 1 coriander root (optional)
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• A pinch of sugar and salt
• Coarsely chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Note: These ingredients are for one bowl of soup. Feel free to double them if needed.

Preparation of Tom Kha Kai:

1. Trim the lemongrass stalks and remove the first layer. Cut them diagonally and slightly crush them with a cleaver to release the flavors.

2. Slice the galangal into six thick pieces.

3. Wash and cut the mushrooms into large pieces.

4. Wash and cut the tomato into six pieces.

5. Peel and crush the shallots.

6. Cut the chicken into small pieces.

7. In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil over medium heat.

8. Add the chicken, lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, shallots, and coconut milk. Simmer over medium heat for about 4 minutes to release all the flavors of the herbs, stirring gently.

9. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and chilies, stir well, and bring back to a boil for 2 minutes until the mushrooms are well cooked. Then, add the kaffir lime leaves.

10. Season the soup with fish sauce, fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

11. Serve immediately in a bowl.

12. Finally, sprinkle with dried chili and chopped coriander, and serve with steamed rice.

Note: Aromatics like galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass are used to flavor the soup. They are not meant to be eaten. You can leave them at the bottom of the bowl to continue releasing their flavors or remove them before serving.

Variations for all tastes

In addition to the chicken version, many variations of Khao Soy exist, whether to enjoy different flavors, for seafood lovers, or even for vegetarians:

- Tom Kha Thale: with seafood
- Tom Kha Mu: with pork
- Tom Kha Phak: with vegetables
- Tom Kha Taohu: with tofu

Florine Dergelet