Thai Coconut Soup
Tom Kha Gai soup is actually just Thai coconut chicken soup. It’s rich and creamy but also tangy and salty. It’s light and perfect for this season – lending to the warm days and cool nights. I love this as a full meal for dinnertime or as an appetizer before the main event. My whole family enjoys it, although I love the vegan, low-sugar version and I find myself making versions that customize to each kid (and hubby!). But that’s yet another thing that I love about this light soup – it bursts with flavours regardless of dietary restrictions.
This Tom Kha soup recipe is actually quite easy to make and doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients. You should be able to get everything at most grocery stores. I’ve included vegan options so you can enjoy this Tom Kha soup all the time, even if you’re avoiding added sugars or you don’t eat animal products.
Thai Coconut Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 Tbsp minced ginger
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
3 Tbsp red Thai curry paste*
3 Tbsp No-sugar fish sauce (Red Boat), or soy sauce for vegan option
1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar, optional (or Coconut aminos)
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can coconut cream or coconut milk (400 ml)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces), or grilled shrimp, or 1-pound block of tofu, cubed into bite-size pieces for vegan option
8 oz. shitake mushrooms caps sliced
1 red bell pepper sliced thin
8 steamed mini bok choy or 4 big ones
2 tsp Sambal Oelek (ground fresh chili paste)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (or swap for kaffir lime leaves)
2-3 green onions sliced thin
fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
fresh Thai basil chopped, for garnish
chopped roasted salted peanut to garnish
*I use the Thai Kitchen Red Curry paste it’s gluten free and vegan
**I like the organic brown rice & millet noodles from Lotus food
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the rice noodles. Add the bok choy 1 minute before the end to blanche. Strain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
In a casserole, sweat the garlic, ginger, Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add lemongrass, and red curry paste in a bit of oil in the saucepan until softened. In Thai cuisine, they often add the sugar with the red curry paste (optional) and coconut aminos or brown sugar.
Add the chicken or vegetable broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk, chicken, red peppers, and shitake mushrooms. The key ingredient here are the shitake mushrooms, they really make a difference in the broth.
Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Stir to mix well then add lime juice, samba oelek & fish sauce.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more fish sauce for saltiness, brown sugar or coconut aminos to enhance the natural sweetness of the coconut milk, or lime juice to brighten up the whole thing and balance the spiciness.
Separate the rice noodles & bok choy into 4 bowls.
Ladle the tom kha gai into serving bowls and top with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve with slices of lime and peanuts.
TIP: For a gluten free, paleo, low-carb version of this soup, omit the brown sugar and use shredded zucchini “noodles” instead of rice noodles.
bon appetit!
Photography by Patricia Brochu