Tom Kha Gai

Ingredients

• 600 gchicken thigh
• 400 mlcoconut milk
• 2 cupschicken broth
• 3 stalkslemongrass
• 4 slicesgalangal
• 100 gmushrooms
• 3 tbsplime juice
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 4kaffir lime leaves
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Begin by preparing the aromatics. Trim the ends of the 3 stalks of lemongrass and remove the tough outer layers. Cut each stalk into 2-inch pieces and lightly crush them with the back of a knife to release their oils. In a large pot, combine the lemongrass, 4 slices of galangal, and 4 kaffir lime leaves. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Allow the aromatics to infuse the broth for about 5 minutes, until you can smell their fragrant aroma.
2. While the broth is infusing, prepare the chicken. Cut the 600 g of chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces. Once the broth is fragrant, add the chicken pieces to the pot. Stir gently to ensure the chicken is submerged. Let it cook in the simmering broth until the chicken turns opaque and is just cooked through, which should take about 5-7 minutes.
3. Next, add the 400 ml of coconut milk to the pot. Stir to combine, and bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer. Slice the 100 g of mushrooms and add them to the pot. Allow them to cook in the simmering soup until they are tender and have absorbed some of the flavors, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
4. Once the mushrooms are tender, add 3 tbsp of lime juice and 2 tbsp of fish sauce to the soup. Stir well to incorporate these flavors. Taste the soup and add fine sea salt to your preference, keeping in mind that the fish sauce already adds some saltiness.
5. Finish the soup by removing the pot from heat. Allow it to rest for a minute to let the flavors meld together. Serve the Tom Kha Gai hot, ensuring each bowl has a generous portion of chicken, mushrooms, and the aromatic broth. Enjoy this comforting dish as a shared meal, true to its home-cooked roots.