Tom Kah Gai literally translates to boiled galangal chicken. It is a spicy hot sweet Thai soup made with coconut milk, lemon grass and chicken. Tom Kah paste is cheap and readily available from Asian food stores.
Tom Kah Gai
Ingredients
- 1 Onion, quartered
- 1 tbsp Lemongrass, fresh is best
- 450 grams Chicken, cut into thin strips
- ½ cup Water
- 4-5 Kafir lime leaves
- 3-4 Chillies
- 1 packet Tom Kah paste See note below
- 1/4 cup Coriander, chopped
- Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Brown sugar
- Kafir lime leaf and coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan with a splash of water and oil. Simmer chopped lemon grass for 3-5min to soften.
- Add 3/4 can coconut cream & quartered onion. Add 1⁄2 cupwater, kaffir lime leaves, whole chillies, chicken and sachet of Tom Kah Gai paste. If you have coriander roots, throw them in now but remove before serving. Simmer gently (without boiling) until chicken is cooked.
- When ready to serve, add brown sugar & fish sauce to taste. Mix in remainder of coconut cream – this will return mixture to a creamy consistency, especially if you have accidentally boiled it.
- Stir in coriander & serve with rice. Garnish with coriander &thin slices of kaffir lime leaf.
Notes
This recipe was given to me by my elderly Thai friend. This is the Tom Ka Paste she recommends.
