Cooking With Clay: Tom Kha Gai

March 9, 2020

If you’re anything like me, soup is the last thought when it comes to answering, “what’s for dinner?” But let’s be honest, there is nothing quite like a nice bowl of hot soup when it’s cold and wet outside. Now I know, we have one foot out the door of winter, but Lynchburg has a way of playing with our heart strings when it comes to the changing of seasons. So, while part of me is still mourning the death of our snowless winter season, the other is not so sure spring is really right around the corner. What is more appropriate a meal for such a confusing time of transition than Tom Kha Gai, or coconut chicken soup? Tom Kha Gai is a traditional Thai soup that is as simple to make as it is flavorful. While a true Tom Kha Gai would have a few ingredients that I don’t have the time or resources to get my hands on, like kaffir lime leaves and galangal root, this supermarket version is no joke.

Okay, now let’s make some soup. Start by peeling your ginger – use a spoon and the rough skin should scuff right off. Crush the ginger and lemongrass to help get some more flavor out of it. Add ginger, lemongrass, and juice from one lime to your broth and let those simmer for about 10 minutes to get all that bright flavor in the broth. There might be some foam collecting on the top of your broth, if so, just scoop it out and carry on.

While the broth is simmering, cut your chicken and mushrooms. You’ll want the chicken as thin as you can cut it. I try to cut them into 2-3 inch ribbons. Make sure you’re cutting against the grain of the meat; otherwise, you’ll end up with stringy chicken in your soup. Mushrooms should be de-stemmed and cut into similar sized ribbons. Honestly, you can cut your proteins any which way you like, but this is just how you’ll find Tom Kha Gai in most restaurants, and it’s my personal preference.

Once the broth is done simmering, remove the ginger and lemongrass stocks. Add in chicken and mushrooms to the broth and let these cook at a simmer. This should take about 20 minutes to get the mushrooms to a good consistency. If you opt for a thicker cut of chicken and mushrooms, this may take longer.

After everything is cooked through, add in coconut milk, sugar, and a dash of fish sauce. If fish sauce scares you, don’t worry! I promise it’s not as overwhelming when it’s added to bigger ingredients; it’s just there to give the dish a little more depth. Return soup to desired temperature, and you’re ready to eat. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and hot chili oil for those of us who like to sweat when we eat.

All said and done, this soup will take about 45 minutes to prepare and is anything but boring. It’s the perfect soup for those days when the weather just can’t make up its mind because of its bright, light, and happy flavors.  This should make enough for about 5-6 healthy servings – depending on who you’re feeding – and costs just under $20.

Ingredients

Ginger – 1 1/2” piece peeled

Lemongrass – 2 stalks

Cilantro – 1/4 cup (for serving)

Hot Chili Oil – to taste (for serving)

Lime – 2 (one for serving)

Coconut Milk – 1 can (13.5 oz)

Fish Sauce – to taste

Chicken Broth – 6 cups

Chicken Thighs, boneless skinless – 2lbs

Shiitake Mushrooms – One cup, de-stemmed and sliced thinly

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