Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Thai Tom Kha Gai
泰式椰香南薑雞湯
Recipe overview
Thai Tom Kha Gai balances galangal, lemongrass, lime and coconut milk around tender chicken and mushrooms, with optional chilli and a smooth unsplit broth.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g boneless chicken thighs (cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 200 g fresh mushrooms (halved)
- 1 small onion (cut into wedges)
- 400 ml coconut milk
Spices and broth
- 50 g galangal (thinly sliced)
- 2 stalks lemongrass (bruised and cut into lengths)
- 3 limes (juiced)
- 2 bird’s-eye chillies (bruised; optional)
- 700 ml water
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
Garnish
- 20 g coriander
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- kitchen paper
- mixing bowl
- small bowl
- citrus juicer
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- lidded soup pot
- colander
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- kitchen tongs
- white serving bowl
- food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect the chicken
Thaw chicken fully in the refrigerator and do not rinse; discard it if smelly, slimy or icy.
Step 2
Dry and cut chicken
Pat chicken dry and cut into 4 cm pieces, then immediately clean hands, knife and board.
Step 3
Prepare galangal and lemongrass
Thinly slice galangal and bruise lemongrass before cutting into 5 cm lengths.
Step 4
Prepare mushrooms and onion
Wipe mushrooms clean and halve them, then cut onion into wedges and keep separate.
Step 5
Juice limes and prepare garnish
Juice the limes, pick coriander and bruise chillies only if mild heat is wanted.
Step 6
Simmer the aromatic broth
Add galangal, lemongrass and optional chilli to water, bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Step 7
Poach the chicken
Add chicken and simmer gently for 10 minutes, skimming any foam.
Step 8
Add mushrooms and onion
Add mushrooms and onion and simmer for 5 minutes until just tender.
Step 9
Add coconut milk
Lower the heat, pour in coconut milk slowly and stir gently until the edges barely bubble.
Step 10
Season the soup
Stir in fish sauce and sugar and heat gently for 2 minutes without a hard boil.
Step 11
Check the chicken
Confirm the thickest chicken piece reaches 75°C; if not, simmer 2 minutes at a time and recheck.
Step 12
Finish with lime and serve
Turn off the heat, stir in lime juice, taste, add coriander and serve in bowls.
Common mistakes
- Boiling lime juice makes it bitter and dull.
- Hard boiling splits coconut milk.
Tips
Galangal perfumes the soup but is normally left uneaten.
Add lime juice only after turning off the heat.
