Tom Kha Gai

This is my most successful restaurant-food-at-home. It’s actually better than most restaurant versions I’ve tried! One of my top favorite soups of all time. Try it, I’m pretty sure you’ll be hooked.

Tom Kha Gai: Thai Sour Chicken Soup
Serves 4-5

Note: it’s best to make the broth the day before you plan to serve the soup so that the broth can cool and you can skim off the fat.

For the broth:
8 c water
1 stalk lemon grass
5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2-inch chunk fresh galanga root, sliced
1 T fish sauce
1/2 an onion, quartered
4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)

Bring the water to a boil. Using a mallet or the back of a heavy knife, pound the lemon grass stalk to crush it and release the flavor. Add it to the pot along with the torn kaffir leaves, galanga, fish sauce, and onion. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the broth, and when it’s cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the skin and bones. Reserve the meat, refrigerated, and return the bones to the broth and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Pour it into a large container through a sieve; discard solids, cool the broth, and refrigerate overnight.

Vegetables and seasonings:
10 oz mushrooms (Crimini or white), quartered
1/2 an onion, cut in wedges
2 large tomatoes, cut in wedges
15 oz can coconut milk
2 limes, juiced
2-3 T chili paste in soya bean oil (Nam Prik Pao)
4 T fish sauce
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Steamed rice, to serve

Skim and discard the solidified fat from the chilled broth. Bring the broth to a simmer.

Preheat the oven to 400° and toss the mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Spread in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until tender and browned.

Whisk together the lime juice, chili paste, and fish sauce.

Stir coconut milk, reserved chicken, roasted vegetables, and seasoning mixture into the broth. Add salt to taste if needed. Place a portion of steamed rice in each bowl, ladle soup over the rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.