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Recipe Detail Page
Tom Kai (Thai Chicken Lemon Grass Coconut Soup)
Holiday 2015
This warming soup is easy enough to put together on a weeknight yet lovely enough for guests when you’re entertaining over the holidays.
Makes 12 cups (3 L) for 6 servings
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 lemon grass stalks, crushed
6 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves
1 piece ginger, 4 inches (10 cm) long, peeled and sliced
1 piece galangal, 4 inches (10 cm) long, peeled and sliced
7½ cups (1.9 L) chicken broth
2 cans (each 400 mL) coconut milk
2 to 4 tsp (10 to 20 mL) fish sauce
1 to 3 tsp (5 to 15 mL) palm or granulated sugar (optional)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 lb (500 g)
½ red pepper, thinly sliced into strips
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt
¼ lb (125 g) fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
½ cup (125 mL) Thai basil leaves or cilantro sprigs for garnish
1. Place onion, lemon grass, lime leaves, gin ger and galangal in a large pot. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat so broth is simmering. Simmer until very flavourful, 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl.
2. Pour broth back into pot. Stir in coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Stir in fish sauce. Taste and add sugar, if you like.
3. Meanwhile, thinly slice chicken and red pep per into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle chicken with salt. When broth is gently boiling, stir in chicken, peppers, mushrooms and green onions. Bring back to a gentle simmer. Gen tly simmer, stirring frequently until chicken is cooked through and vegetables soften, 2 to 5 minutes. Do not vigorously boil. Divide between bowls. Squeeze a wedge of lime into each. Serve garnished with basil.
Makes 12 cups (3 L) for 6 servings