Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Tom Kha Gai Food

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.

THAI GALANGAL CHICKEN SOUP ( TOM KA GAI)

Steps:

• Cut the lemongrass into 5 cm pieces and pound the pieces with the side of your kitchen knife to bruise them. This helps to release the flavour into the soup.
• Using a large saucepan- combine the stock, lemongrass pieces, galangal, whole lime leaves and coriander (cilantro) roots and stems mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• Strain the stock through muslin or a fine strainer into a large heatproof bowl. Discard the solids.
• Rinse your saucepan.
• Return your stock/soup base to the same saucepan.
• Add chicken and straw mushrooms. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce and the sugar. Cook, stirring, until only just heated through. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
• Add the remaining ingredients- coriander (cilantro) leaves, red chillies, kaffir lime leaves and the lemon grass slices.
• Serve hot.

TOM KHA GAI, THAI COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP!

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste and stir and cook in the heated oil for 1 minute. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. Add the lime leaves and chillies and simmer gently for 10 minutes to infuse the broth.
• After 10 minutes, stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until no longer translucent, about 2-5 minutes. Watch carefully, do not overcook. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve, drizzle with a little chilli oil and/or garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

THAI COCONUT GINGER SOUP OR TOM KHA GAI

Steps:

• Combine coconut milk, water, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add chile paste, stock, mushrooms and chicken, simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove lemongrass and ginger before serving and garnish with cilantro.