Tom Kha Soup
This soup showcases Thai flavor profiles & ingredients.
By Keith McBrayerThis recipe breakdown originally appeared in The Mouthful, our weekly food newsletter for the curious home cook.
This is a great dish to start understanding Thai flavor profiles and ingredients. Thai food often relies on balancing sour, sweet, salty, and bitter elements. This soup will showcase all of those flavors in a funky, savory, and mind-blowing way.
Keith McBrayer
Ingredients
Aromatic base broth
- chicken broth700 g
- galangal root, thinly sliced40 g
- lemongrass40 g
- red thai chiles, chopped3-5
Soup components
- chicken thighs, boneless, skinless454 g
- mushrooms, thinly sliced225 g
- coconut milk240 g
- fish sauce60 g
- lime juice~ 60 gto taste
Toppings
- limes
- cilantro
Method
Step 1: Make the broth
In a large pot, add all aromatic base broth components and bring to a . Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes to infuse aromatics into the broth.
Step 2: Simmer the chicken & mushrooms
Add the chicken and mushrooms to the broth and for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 3: Finish the soup
Add in the coconut milk and fish sauce and for 1 more minute, then turn off heat.
Taste and slowly add in lime juice, to taste, for acidity. If the soup needs more salt, add in additional fish sauce.
Step 4: Garnish & serve
You can fish out the aromatics, or just and eat around them. The galangal and chilis slices are edible, but the lemongrass will be tough and fibrous.
Serve in bowls and optionally garnish with chopped cilantro and more lime wedges.
FAQ
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