Tom Kha Gai/thai Coconut Soup
Food purists back off! I'm writing this for my busy working cooks with children... There are as many versions of a thai coconut soup as there are unmatched socks in my unmatched sock bin... I don't even know what actually constitutes all the differet names of all the different versions of coconut soup on an American Thai Restaurant's menu...but what I do know is that this is the soup I typically order from thai restaurants and that my recipe closely resembles that of a broth soup recipe called Tom Kha Gai that my friend brought back from Thailand. I do know that I have had this soup as a broth, with just chicken pieces, and with all sorts of different add ins like mushrooms and onions and bamboo shoots. My sister made this soup last night by absconding lemongrass and chili flavored seasoning packets from dried noodle soups packages, adding the packets to chicken broth, and seasoning with a little ginger, then adding coconut milk and sliced crimini mushrooms. Set out the coconut milks and your other add-ins so that, if you have older kids, they can finish this soup off lickity split by just dumping things in the crockpot! Make sure to serve chili sauce on the side for folks who like more kick! Serve with aromatic rice like jasmine or basmati to help fill up hungry tummies... Here it is, the soup that makes my tastebuds moist...
Total Steps
16
Ingredients
23
Tools Needed
6
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon shaved cane sugar or brown sugar
- 2 pieces kaffir lime leaves or large lime zest
- 3 inch piece lemongrass, sliced lengthwise
- 4.25 inches of slices fresh ginger root or galangal
- 4 cup chicken broth
- 3 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can 10 ounce coconut milk
- 1 can 10 ounce lite coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 lime lime, juiced
- fish sauce(optional)
- kosher salt(optional)
- handful julienned basil(optional)
- 1 small can bamboo shoots(optional)
- handful mushrooms (oyster, sliced, or button)(optional)
- grated carrot(optional)
- handful cilantro leaves(optional)
- bean threads(optional)
- rice noodles(optional)
- handful thinly sliced sweet onion(optional)
- chopped green onion(optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Combine garlic, crushed red pepper, shaved cane sugar or brown sugar, kaffir lime leaves or lime zest, lemongrass, ginger or galangal, chicken broth, and chicken breasts in a crockpot and cook.
Step 2
About a half hour before serving, remove the ginger slices, pieces of lemongrass, and the piece of garlic. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and add back to the crockpot.
Step 3
Add one 10 ounce can coconut milk to the crockpot.
Step 4
Add one 10 ounce can lite coconut milk to the crockpot.
Step 5
Add one tablespoon fish sauce.
Step 6
Add the juice of 1 lime.
Step 7
Let heat for a bit, then taste. Season with more fish sauce or kosher salt if needed.
Step 8
If desired, add a handful of julienned basil.
Step 9
If desired, add a small can of bamboo shoots.
Step 10
If desired, add a handful of your favorite mushrooms (oyster, sliced, or button).
Step 11
If desired, add grated carrot.
Step 12
If desired, add a handful of cilantro leaves.
Step 13
If desired, add bean threads.
Step 14
If desired, add rice noodles.
Step 15
If desired, add a handful of thinly sliced sweet onion.
Step 16
If desired, add chopped green onion.