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Tom Kha Gai

Source of Recipe

From "The New Cooking School Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Restorative and indulgent, this Thai chicken soup balances hot and sour notes with rich coconut milk. Red curry paste—although not a traditional addition—contains many of the soup's signature aromatic ingredients, such as galangal, makrut lime leaves, and bird chiles. So we stir in a spoonful to deliver these fragrant flavors in concentrated form, adding it at the end of cooking. Then fresh lemongrass, shallots, and cilantro are simmered briefly to release their flavors and are strained out. Although we prefer the deeper, richer flavor of regular coconut milk, light coconut milk can be substituted for one or both cans. For a spicier soup, add more red curry paste to taste."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
â—¦ 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to bottom 6 inches, sliced thin
â—¦ 3 large shallots, chopped coarse
â—¦ 8 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped, plus leaves for serving
â—¦ 3 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
â—¦ 4 cups chicken broth
â—¦ 2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk, divided
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦ 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
â—¦ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced ¼ inch thick
â—¦ 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes), plus lime wedges for serving
â—¦ 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
â—¦ 2 Thai, serrano, or jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced thin
â—¦ 2 scallions, sliced thin on bias


Recipe

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add lemongrass, shallots, cilantro sprigs, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce and cook, stirring often, until just softened but not browned, 2 to 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and one can of coconut milk and bring to simmer. Cover; reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer; and cook until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids. (Broth can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

Return broth to clean saucepan, stir in sugar and remaining can of coconut milk, and bring to simmer. Stir in mushrooms and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce together in bowl to dissolve paste, then stir mixture into soup. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro leaves, Thai chiles, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 6