Tom Ka Kai Soup Recipes

TOM KA KAI (THAI COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP)

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large soup pot, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. I often make this is a wok on the stove.
• Salt the chicken and add to oil, tossing to brown all the pieces. Cook about 3 minutes or until outside is browned, but not necessarily cooked all the way through.
• Add mushrooms and toss. Allow to cook until some of the moisture is cooked out and the mushrooms are soft. Turn down heat to medium-low.
• To prepare the lemongrass, slice and mince the lower portion and reserve the stalk to flavor the soup. You can use a food processor for this, or just mince it by hand. The woody upper portion of the stalk will be removed later, so don't chop it up, simply score it by making a few superficial cuts in it to allow it to flavor the soup.
• Add the whites of the onions, reserving the greens. Add the minced lower portion of the lemongrass, grated galangal, and chilies. Toss until just warmed through.
• Add the lemongrass stalk, lime leaves, chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and remaining onions, reserving just a few for garnish. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend well.
• Taste test and adjust flavors as follows:.
• Not salty enough - add more fish sauce.
• Too sour - add a little more brown sugar.
• Too spicy - add more coconut milk.
• Not spicy enough - add more chilies.
• Ladle into 4 soup bowls and garnish with remaining onion greens, cilantro, and basil.
• Variations:.
• Add more vegetables such as some sliced red bell peppers with the mushrooms.
• Serve over wide rice noodles for a main dish serving.
• Make vegetarian by increasing mushrooms in place of chicken and substituting vegetable stock.

TOM KA GAI (COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut chicken into thin strips and saute in oil for to 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken turns white.
• In a pot, bring coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce heat. Add ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne powder and turmeric. Simmer until the chicken is done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with scallions and fresh cilantro and serve steaming hot.

TOM KHA GAI (CHICKEN COCONUT SOUP)

Steps:

• Using the back of a knife, lightly smash lemongrass and ginger; cut lemongrass into 4" pieces. Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves, and broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors are melded, 8-10 minutes. Strain broth into clean saucepan; discard solids.
• Add chicken and return to a boil. Reduce heat, add mushrooms, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are soft, 20-25 minutes. Mix in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar.
• Divide soup among bowls. Serve with chili oil, cilantro, and lime wedges.

COCONUT MILK SOUP WITH CHICKEN (GAI DOM KHA)

Steps:

• Wash and trim root ends of lemon grass. Peel off tough layers and slice bottom 6 inches thinly. Discard rest of the lemon grass. Chop one tablespoon.
• With a food processor running add chopped lemon grass, 1 tablespoon sliced ginger, the garlic, peppercorns and coriander roots and shallots and process to rough paste.
• Bring 1 cup of the coconut milk to a boil and add lemon grass mixture. Keep stirring, reduce heat and add chicken, the remaining coconut milk and the remaining ginger and lemon grass. Return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender, about 3 minutes longer.
• Add chilies, fish sauce and lime juice to soup.
• Decorate with lime leaves and coriander sprigs and serve.

THE BEST THAI TOM KHA SOUP RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring coconut milk and chicken stock to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add cilantro, lemongrass, galangal, Thai chile peppers, and kaffir lime leaves; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high heat. Add chicken; simmer until no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes. Stir in cabbage; cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat; stir in lime juice and fish sauce.

LEA'S TOM KA KAI SOUP

Steps:

• In medium to large saucepan, bring to boil ALL ingredients EXCEPT garlic, red chili, ginger root, cilantro, chicken, and half and half cream.
• Meanwhile, chop the remaining ingredients (except chicken and half and half cream) finely in chopping machine, then add this to the pot.
• Chop and boil the chicken pieces in the soup for around 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
• Add the half-and-half cream to the soup and stir constantly to avoid curdling for around three minutes.
• Remove lemon grass root upon serving, or tell victims to remove before eating the soup!
• Serve soup warm or hot.
• NOTE: fish sauce, oyster sauce, Tom Yum paste may be purchased at a Thai or Chinese market. Also, sometimes your local store will carry these items.