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–+ servings

Tom Kha Gai - Thai Chicken Galangal Soup

This easy and delicious recipe for traditional Thai chicken galangal soup is soothing, healthful, and nutritious.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 25 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 3 -4 people
Calories 515 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 chicken – cut into parts
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 inches of greater galangal – peeled and cut into thin discs
  • 2 stalks lemongrass – outer layer removed ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 2 cloves garlic – crushed
  • 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • A handful of baby corn - halved lengthwise
  • 1 cup of oyster straw, or button mushrooms - halved
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce nam pla
  • 1 tsp raw sugar or brown sugar optional
  • 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves torn and bruised lightly or Dried Kaffir Lime Leaves
  • 2-3 bird’s eye chilies or 1 fresh serrano red chili - halved lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • Sliced red chili peppers
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a pot, add in the water and chicken. Bring to a boil, then turn fire to low and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken broth is ready.
  • Take out the chicken pieces from the soup, remove the bones, and add the meat back in. Also add in lemongrass, galangal and garlic with half a cup of the coconut milk.
  • Bring to a boil again, then turn fire to low and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Add in mushrooms, baby corn, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil again, then turn fire to low. Add in the chilies, kaffir lime leaves, and rest of the coconut milk. Simmer on low fire for another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Squeeze in lime juice, taste, and adjust seasonings (fish sauce, sugar, lime juice). Serve soup into individual bowls and add garnishing.

Notes

1. For a shortcut, you can skip Step 1 and use a good quality concentrated chicken stock instead. Or skip the chicken stock altogether and use water instead, but add in more lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. For either shortcut option, just add in the boneless chicken pieces to the soup in Step 2
2. Young and tender galangal is preferred as the taste is sweeter, and edible in the soup. But if you can only get matured galangal, just chop it roughly (since it is too dense to slice thinly).
3. For a creamier version of Tom Kha Gai, just add in more coconut milk or cut down on the water.

Nutrition

Serving: 150gCalories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 27gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1062mgPotassium: 569mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 5mg
Keyword chicken, soup
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