Tom Kha Gai - Thai Soup

                                                                                                                         "Winter is coming" it's time for some soupy affair to keep oneself warm. Tom Kha Gai is a light coconut based flavorful soup. Although not as popular as its cousin the  Tom Yum soup, this personal favorite of mine packs a delightful flavor punch. The combination of different herbs with coconut milk gives you warm yet tingling feeling.
I came across this hearty soup in a small street side joint during my visit to Thailand. First time when I tasted this soup I immediately became a lifelong fan.
The truth is many Thai restaurants in India don't do justice to Thai cuisine. Once you actually taste the authentic Thai food, you can't have enough of it. Bit similar to some Indian cuisine in flavors but wonderfully different at the same time. Give it a try, chances are you won't regret it!


Coming to the recipe now...

Prep Time :15 mins

Cooking Time : 15 mins
Serving : 4

Ingredients

 

1. 250 gm boneless chicken
2. 1 pack of mushrooms(refer note)
3. Lemongrass two stalks
4. Kaffir lime leaves
5. 1 root of Galangal (refer note)
6. 1 lime juice
7. 1 tsp chilli oil
8. 1 tsp fish sauce
9. 1 cup coconut milk 
10. Small bunch of coriander leaves
11. Salt as per taste
12. 1 cup water

How to prep 

1. Chop slices of lemongrass or just pound it to bring out more flavor
2. Always tear the kaffir limes this step also help in enhancing the flavor
3. Chop the galangal into fine round pieces
4. Cut the mushrooms into large pieces

Instructions:

1. In a pan add water,lemongrass,galangal,lime leaves, chillies and bring it to boil
2. Add chicken(refer note) and mushrooms and let it simmer until he chicken is well cooked
3. Add the coconut milk and simmer for about 5 more mins
4. Add chili oil, lime juice,fish sauce, few coriander leaves and switch of the heat

Note:

1. Boneless chicken from the thigh area are juicier,  breast  portion chicken should be added later as it tends to dry out easy.
2. One can replace kaffir leaves with "Gandhoraj lebu leaves" , these are easily available in Kolkata
3.  Enoki,Straw, Shiitake mushrooms are the varieties among which one a can use in this soup. Most commonly available mushroom is India is button mushroom, although not a good choice, but can use if none are available
4. Galangal can be replaced by ginger but taste will vary
5. One can opt not to add fish sauce and replace it with 1 tsp light soya sauce