Description
Thai Coconut Soup, also known as “Tom Kha,” is a creamy and aromatic soup featuring coconut milk, fresh lime, and herbs like lemongrass and galangal. This soup offers a perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors, making it a popular choice in Thai cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable or coconut)
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed
- 4 slices fresh galangal (or ginger)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 200g chicken breast or tofu, cubed
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- Fresh cilantro and Thai basil for garnish
- Chili flakes or fresh chilies for heat (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add red curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in coconut milk and broth, then add lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Add chicken (or tofu) and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Remove lemongrass and lime leaves. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, and chilies.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, use tofu and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or less curry paste or chili flakes.
- If you can’t find galangal, fresh ginger works as a good substitute.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Calories: 280
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g