Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Instructions

1. In a pot, bring the broth, coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves to a bare simmer. Steep 10 minutes to infuse — do not boil hard, or the coconut milk can split.
2. Add the chicken slices and simmer gently until just cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes.
4. Off the heat, stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Now taste and balance: it should be sour first, then salty, then sweet, with coconut richness underneath. Fish sauce for salty, lime for sour, sugar rounds.
5. Fish out the lemongrass knots (and lime leaves if you like). Serve with chilies, cilantro, and scallions over steamed jasmine rice if you want to make it a full meal.

Notes & Substitutions

• The aromatics are for perfume, not eating — diners push them aside, Thai-style.
• Galangal is worth finding (frozen works); ginger is the acceptable stand-in with a different, sharper warmth.
• Vegetarian: vegetable broth + soy sauce for the fish sauce, extra mushrooms, cubed firm tofu instead of chicken.
• Lighter: light coconut milk saves ~60 kcal per bowl; the soup keeps most of its body.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Best fresh; keeps 2 days refrigerated, reheat to a bare simmer.
• The infused base (step 1) can be made a day ahead.
• Don't freeze — coconut milk soups go grainy.