Tom Kha Gai (Thai Style Coconut Soup) By Sharmistha Guha Chowdhury

Back in 2015, I went to Bangkok for a holiday. Well, Bangkok is a mecca for some amazing Thai Food and street shops are gems, so I settled for my late lunch at one of the street food vendors in the market after spending a long day shopping at Chatuchak Market. I opted for this soup with lots of tiger prawns, fish balls, and pork wonton thrown into it. The first whiff of lemongrass and kaffir lime took my tiredness away after that hiatus shopping. The flavours were so amazing and with jasmine rice, it was like a match made in heaven. I am a big fan of Thai Food and every time I make this, it gives me wonderful throwback memories of my Bangkok Trip.

Sharmistha Guha Chowdhury is a full time corporate and a Fashion and Lifestyle Content Creator. Juggling between two important professional roles of my life, I find cooking to be very therapeutic considering the hectic lifestyle I lead. Travelling and trying local cuisine is what makes me extremely happy. An ardent textile lover and enthusiast, you would get a glimpse of my life through my social media handles.

Ingredients

Prawn or Boneless Chicken – 300 gms
Coconut Milk – 1 cup or 200 ml
Chicken Stock or Water – 4 cups
Lemon Grass Stalk – 1
Kaffir Lime leaves – 5
Galangal Thin Sliced – 2 tbsp (Substitute: Ginger)
Thai Bird Eye Chilies – 6-7 nos.
Lime Juice – 3 tsp
Fish Sauce – 2tbsp
Chopped Mushroom – 1 cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves – 1tbsp
Cherry Tomato into halves – ½ cup
Jaggery Powder or Palm Sugar – 1tsp
Salt to taste
Corn starch Slurry – 2tsp (optional)
Chilli Oil or Sesame Oil for Garnish

Method:

With the back of the knife, smash the lemongrass stalk and make 1-inch long cuts. Tear the kaffir lime leaves with hands.
In a mortar pestle, smash some 2-3 nos. bird eye chilies.
Bring a pot to the heat, add chicken stock or water and lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bird eye chilies and galangal.
Let it simmer for good 10 min so that the flavour comes out.
Add chicken or prawns and mushroom into it. Cook it further for 10 min.
Add Coconut Milk, Fish Sauce, chopped Thai bird eye chilies (according to your heat preference), and palm sugar or jaggery powder. Cook for 5 min.
Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 1 min.
Switch off the flame and add lime juice and coriander leaves.
Give it a rest for 5 min covered before serving.
Garnish with Chilli Oil or Sesame Oil.
Eat plain “as it is” or with Boiled Noodles or with Rice. The choice is yours.
If you find the soup too runny, you my add the Corn starch Slurry for the desired consistency.