Tom Ka Kai

Tom Ka Kai (Chicken Soup)

In Thailand, most tom kha kai recipes typically include coconut milk, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Thai chilli peppers, coriander (or dill weed), straw mushrooms (or shiitake or other mushrooms), chicken, fish sauce, and lime juice. Fried chillies are sometimes added, and this creates a smoky flavour as well as texture, colour, and heat; however, they are not added so much that they overwhelm the soup. The key is to get a taste balance between the spices.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (I use a stir-fry mix of mushrooms with shitakes, oyster mushrooms, and portabellas)

3 green onions, sliced (divided)

1 stalk lemongrass

1 inch fresh galangal root or 1 inch gingerroot, grated

2 red chilies (more or less to desired heat level)

6 cups chicken stock (use good quality here)

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

fresh cilantro

fresh basil leaf

Method:

1. In the bottom of a large soup pot, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. I often make this is a wok on the stove.

2. Salt the chicken and add to oil, tossing to brown all the pieces. Cook about 3 minutes or until outside is browned, but not necessarily cooked all the way through.

3. Add mushrooms and toss. Allow to cook until some of the moisture is cooked out and the mushrooms are soft. Turn down heat to medium-low.

4. To prepare the lemongrass, slice and mince the lower portion and reserve the stalk to flavor the soup. You can use a food processor for this, or just mince it by hand. The woody upper portion of the stalk will be removed later, so don't chop it up, simply score it by making a few superficial cuts in it to allow it to flavor the soup.

5. Add the whites of the onions, reserving the greens. Add the minced lower portion of the lemongrass, grated galangal, and chilies. Toss until just warmed through.

6. Add the lemongrass stalk, lime leaves, chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and remaining onions, reserving just a few for garnish. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend well.

7. Taste test and adjust flavors as follows:.

8. Not salty enough - add more fish sauce.

9. Too sour - add a little more brown sugar.

10. Too spicy - add more coconut milk.

11. Not spicy enough - add more chilies.

12. Ladle into 4 soup bowls and garnish with remaining onion greens, cilantro, and basil.

13. Variations:.

14. Add more vegetables such as some sliced red bell peppers with the mushrooms.

15. Serve over wide rice noodles for a main dish serving.

16. Make vegetarian by increasing mushrooms in place of chicken and substituting vegetable stock.