Chicken and Galangal Soup - Tom Kha Gai

Here’s another dish I whipped up from the Thai spices I got last week.

Tom Kha Gai is basically a soup made up of galangal broth and with coconut milk & chili paste added towards to end.

I specially love this coconutty concoction…it’s both spicy & tummy-satisfying. Cabbage is one of the main ingredients in this soup. And I can say, cabbage never tasted this good before!

Tom Kha Gai

What U need:

• 4 cups Water
• 500ml Coconut milk
• 5 Kaffir lime leaves – torn to smaller bits
• 2 stalk Lemon grass - cut and crushed
• 2 large pieces fresh Galangal - sliced
• 1kg Chicken meat - cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 cups White button mushrooms (optional)
• 2 cups Fresh cabbage - cut into bite size pieces

Ingredients for Seasoning:

• 2 Thai limes (Thai limes are bigger & juicer)
• 3 tbsp Chili paste in soya bean oil (Nam Prik Pao)
• 4-6 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 Red Thai chili
• 1 cup Coriander sprigs (garnish)

Preparing the Soup:

1. Boil 4 cups of water to a boil.
2. When the liquid starts boiling add the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal & 2 tbsp of fish sauce.
3. Add chicken meat next.
4. Cook the chicken for about 5 mins.
5. Add 2 cups of mushrooms (optional).
6. Add 2 cups of cabbage.
7. Cover and cook the soup for another further 5 mins.
8. Next, add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, turn the heat off immeditely (Reminder : Never over-boil coconut milk)
9. Remove all the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass & galangal bits.

Preparing the Seasoning :

1. Squeeze two Thai limes into a bowl.
2. Add about 3 tablespoons of chili paste in soya bean oil (Nam Prik Pao). If you don't like it too spicy, use less or skip it altogether.
3. Add 4 tbsp of fish sauce.
4. Now stir the seasoning mixture into the soup.
5. Garnish the soup with coriander leaves.
6. Serve immeditely.