Tom Kha Soup
This soup is nothing short of perfect for a chilly autumn or winter night! For starters, the aroma of the lemongrass and lime leaves boiling will make you feel like you’re at a spa or in the lobby of a yoga studio. Then the creaminess of the coconut will hit your belly and make you want to curl up, relax, brew some lemongrass tea, and watch LA Confidential. (Okay well that’s what I did instead of studying. Shame on me, I guess?)
I got direction for this recipe from eatingthaifood because to be honest, besides the lemongrass and the coconut milk, I never knew what else went into making this soup so special.
PS - Please please be careful when cutting and de-seeding the thai chilies.
Makes 2 meals or 4 sides
Before You Start
You are going to need some special ingredients for an authentic Tom Kha soup: galangal, lemongrass, and lime kaffir leaves. I found these at a local Thai market but you could also try finding these online.
Additionally, this dish is best with rice so you will want to prepare at least a cup and a half (dry).
Ingredients
2 cups of veggie or chicken broth or stock*
2-3 inches of galangal
1 inch of ginger
3 stalks of lemongrass
10 kaffir leaves
1 shallot
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 of tofu block (6-7.5 oz)
3 Thai chilies
Optional: 1.5 tsp of chili garlic paste
Dash of salt
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (about 18 % fat)
1/2 large red/yellow/orange bell pepper
3 oz of oyster mushrooms
2 medium carrots
Optional: Vegan chicken strips, shredded and cooked**
1 lime
*A lot of stocks have spices in them like parsley or thyme, avoid these and get plain stock or broth
**I used Trader Joe’s chicken tenders and removed the seasoned breading
Preparation
Slice galangal and ginger into 1/4 inch thick discs, cut lemongrass into 1-2 inch long shoots, slice kaffir leaves and the shallot in half lengthwise, separate the layers of the shallot, smash garlic cloves, and cut the tofu into about 3/4-inch cubes.
Carefully slice the chilis lengthwise and de-seed them by scraping the insides with the tip of your knife under running water.
Bring stock, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, half of the kaffir leaves, shallot, garlic, chilis, and tofu to a boil in a medium pot and cover. Continue to boil for 15 minutes.
While the stock is boiling, slice the bell pepper, mushrooms, lime, and carrots. The bell pepper and mushrooms should be thin, 1-2 inch long slices, the lime should be quartered, and the carrots sliced into 1/4 inch rounds.
If you would like, at this point you can remove the lime leaves and lemongrass from your pot or if you’re lazy like me, leave them and eat around them later.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add a dash or two of salt, optional chili garlic paste, and the can of coconut milk to your stock. Stir gently until the milk is evenly distributed.
Add the rest of your ingredients and let cook on medium-low for at least 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and stir if you notice that your soup is boiling. You do not want it to boil once the coconut milk has been added!
Annalise