This soup is just a perfect example of balanced flavors: sweet coconut milk, salty fish sauce, sour lime juice, bitter galangal, and spicy chili oil all come together in one bowl for a creamy and indulgent taste experience.
The soup gets its distinctive flavor from galangal, and there's really no substitute for it. Some recipes will tell you to use ginger, but I think the two rhizomes are worlds apart when it comes to flavor. I buy galangal, along with makrut lime leaves, oodles of fish sauce, and lemongrass, at my local Asian market. I love that place. Go out and find your local Asian market and you'll be enjoying this Thai take-out staple at home!
The soup has a base of lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaf with a hefty amount of coconut milk. I generally make it with three cans of coconut milk and two cans of water or stock, but if that amount of coconut milk scares you, flip the ratio and use two cans of coconut milk and three cans of water or stock. The flavors will still be there, but it won't be as rich. I make this with either tofu or chicken, depending on my mood. I add mushrooms (either straw mushrooms or button mushrooms work, the ones pictured here were beech mushrooms and were excellent) and tomatoes in the last few minutes of cooking, and then take the soup off of the heat to do the final flavoring.
Getting the acid-sweet-salty balance just right is a matter of taste, so you might want to change the amounts I have listed in the recipe below. The addition of lime juice, brown sugar, and fish sauce is done off of the heat so that the lime juice doesn't get bitter. The soup is finished in the bowl with cilantro and chili oil. This makes it spice-free for the kids and extra spicy for the brave adults. We generally eat it as a main dish all on its own, but you can serve it as an appetizer or with rice to round out the meal.
Try this the next time you are craving Thai food and let me know what you thought in the comments!
Recipe
Tom Kha
Ingredients
Soup
- 2-inch piece galangal (cut into ¼" slices, then halved )
- 1 stalk lemongrass (sliced half vertically, then into 2" pieces)
- 4 makrut lime leaves
- 42 oz. coconut milk
- 28 oz. vegetable stock (or water)
- 14 oz. firm tofu
- 8 oz. mushrooms (sliced, button mushrooms, straw mushrooms, or beech mushrooms all work)
- 1 medium tomato (cut into wedges)
- 5 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice (fresh squeezed)
Garnishes
- chili oil (to taste)
- cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a stock pot, bring coconut milk, water, galangal, makrut lime leaf, and lemongrass to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a quick simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Add tofu (or chicken), tomatoes, and mushrooms. Raise heat to bring to a simmer again. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes (adjusting heat to maintain a quick simmer).
- Remove soup from heat. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine and then taste to adjust flavor to your liking.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro and chili oil.
Notes
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Nutrition Facts
I'd love to hear your thoughts!