Tom Kha Gai

Name: Tom Kha Gai
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 60 g Galangal; 3 piece Lemongrass stalk; 8 piece Kaffir lime leaf; 6 piece Bird's eye chillies; 400 ml Chicken stock; 800 ml Coconut milk; 500 g Chicken thigh; 200 g straw mushrooms; 3 tbsp Fish sauce; 1 tbsp Palm sugar; 3 piece Lime; 20 g Coriander leaves

26 min · 6 min active · makes ~2.3 l · Easy

Creamy Thai coconut soup with tender chicken thighs, galangal, and straw mushrooms finished with bird's eye chilli heat and fresh coriander.

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Tom Kha Gai

Creamy Thai coconut soup with tender chicken thighs, galangal, and straw mushrooms finished with bird's eye chilli heat and fresh coriander.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

26 min

ACTIVE TIME

6 min

QUANTITY

~2.3 l

DIFFICULTY

Easy

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/12

Tools0/10

Ingredients

0/12 gathered · 4 servings

60g

3piece

8piece

6piece

400ml

800ml

500g

200g

3tbsp

1tbsp

3piece

20g

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	60g	—	—
2	3piece	—	—
3	8piece	—	—
4	6piece	—	—
5	400ml	—	—
6	800ml	—	—
7	500g	—	—
8	200g	—	—
9	3tbsp	—	—
10	1tbsp	—	—
11	3piece	—	—
12	20g	—	—

Tools

12 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

21 steps

1 of 21

Peel the galangal with a peeler, scraping away the pale skin.

Galangal · 60 g

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled galangal

2 of 21

Cut the peeled galangal into thin coins, about 3 mm thick.

Peeled galangal · step 1

⏱ 30s

ResultSliced galangal

3 of 21

Transfer the sliced galangal into the large saucepan.

Sliced galangal · step 2

⏱ 5s

ResultSliced galangal

4 of 21

Trim the root end and tough top from each lemongrass stalk, then peel away the outer layer.

Lemongrass stalk · 3 piece

⏱ 20s

ResultTrimmed lemongrass

5 of 21

Lay each trimmed lemongrass stalk flat and bash it firmly with a meat mallet to split it open and release the oils.

Trimmed lemongrass · step 4

⏱ 20s

ResultBruised lemongrass

6 of 21

Add the bruised lemongrass to the saucepan with the galangal.

Bruised lemongrass · step 5

⏱ 5s

ResultBruised lemongrass and sliced galangal

7 of 21

Tear each kaffir lime leaf in half along the spine and drop them into the saucepan.

Kaffir lime leaf · 8 piece

⏱ 10s

ResultBruised lemongrass and sliced galangal and kaffir lime leaf

8 of 21

Lay the bird's eye chillies on the chopping board.

Bird's eye chillies · 6 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultBird's eye chillies

9 of 21

Press down firmly on each chilli with the flat of the meat mallet to split the skin without fully crushing them.

Bird's eye chillies · step 8

⏱ 20s

ResultBruised bird's eye chillies

10 of 21

Add the bruised chillies to the saucepan.

Bruised bird's eye chillies · step 9

⏱ 5s

ResultBruised bird's eye chilly and bruised lemongrass mixture

11 of 21

Pour the chicken stock into the saucepan over the aromatics.

Chicken stock · 400 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultChicken stock mixture

12 of 21

Pour the coconut milk into the saucepan.

Coconut milk · 800 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultChicken stock mixture

13 of 21

Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer and let the aromatics infuse for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice.

⏱ 8 min

ResultFragrant coconut broth

14 of 21

Cut the chicken thighs across the grain into strips about 1 cm wide.

Chicken thigh · 500 g

⏱ 1 min

ResultSliced chicken thigh

15 of 21

Slide the sliced chicken into the simmering broth.

Sliced chicken thigh · step 14

⏱ 10s

ResultFragrant coconut broth and sliced chicken thigh

16 of 21

Add the straw mushrooms to the saucepan, halving any large ones first.

Straw mushrooms · 200 g

⏱ 10s

ResultFragrant coconut broth and sliced chicken thigh and straw mushrooms

17 of 21

Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining, about 8 minutes. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.

⏱ 8 min

ResultChicken-cooked broth

18 of 21

Stir the fish sauce into the soup.

Fish sauce · 3 tbsp

⏱ 10s

ResultChicken-cooked broth and fish sauce

19 of 21

Add the palm sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved into the broth.

Palm sugar · 1 tbsp

⏱ 15s

ResultSeasoned tom kha gai

20 of 21

Halve the limes and press each half firmly on the juicer to extract all the juice.

Lime · 3 piece

⏱ 30s

ResultFresh lime juice

21 of 21

Pour the lime juice into the soup and stir through.

Fresh lime juice · step 20

⏱ 10s

ResultLime-sharpened tom kha gai

Total Time26 min

#	Product	Action
1	60 g	Peel the galangal with a peeler, scraping away the pale skin.⏱ 30sResultPeeled galangal
2	Peeled galangalstep 1	Cut the peeled galangal into thin coins, about 3 mm thick.⏱ 30sResultSliced galangal
3	Sliced galangalstep 2	Transfer the sliced galangal into the large saucepan.⏱ 5sResultSliced galangal
4	3 piece	Trim the root end and tough top from each lemongrass stalk, then peel away the outer layer.⏱ 20sResultTrimmed lemongrass
5	Trimmed lemongrassstep 4	Lay each trimmed lemongrass stalk flat and bash it firmly with a meat mallet to split it open and release the oils.⏱ 20sResultBruised lemongrass
6	Bruised lemongrassstep 5	Add the bruised lemongrass to the saucepan with the galangal.⏱ 5sResultBruised lemongrass and sliced galangal
7	8 piece	Tear each kaffir lime leaf in half along the spine and drop them into the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultBruised lemongrass and sliced galangal and kaffir lime leaf
8	6 piece	Lay the bird's eye chillies on the chopping board.⏱ 5sResultBird's eye chillies
9	Bird's eye chilliesstep 8	Press down firmly on each chilli with the flat of the meat mallet to split the skin without fully crushing them.⏱ 20sResultBruised bird's eye chillies
10	Bruised bird's eye chilliesstep 9	Add the bruised chillies to the saucepan.⏱ 5sResultBruised bird's eye chilly and bruised lemongrass mixture
11	400 ml	Pour the chicken stock into the saucepan over the aromatics.⏱ 10sResultChicken stock mixture
12	800 ml	Pour the coconut milk into the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultChicken stock mixture
13	—	Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer and let the aromatics infuse for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice.⏱ 8 minResultFragrant coconut broth
14	500 g	Cut the chicken thighs across the grain into strips about 1 cm wide.⏱ 1 minResultSliced chicken thigh
15	Sliced chicken thighstep 14	Slide the sliced chicken into the simmering broth.⏱ 10sResultFragrant coconut broth and sliced chicken thigh
16	200 g	Add the straw mushrooms to the saucepan, halving any large ones first.⏱ 10sResultFragrant coconut broth and sliced chicken thigh and straw mushrooms
17	—	Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining, about 8 minutes. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.⏱ 8 minResultChicken-cooked broth
18	3 tbsp	Stir the fish sauce into the soup.⏱ 10sResultChicken-cooked broth and fish sauce
19	1 tbsp	Add the palm sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved into the broth.⏱ 15sResultSeasoned tom kha gai
20	3 piece	Halve the limes and press each half firmly on the juicer to extract all the juice.⏱ 30sResultFresh lime juice
21	Fresh lime juicestep 20	Pour the lime juice into the soup and stir through.⏱ 10sResultLime-sharpened tom kha gai
Total Time		26 min

Serving

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, making sure each portion has chicken, mushrooms and some of the aromatic pieces.
Scatter fresh coriander leaves over the top of each bowl to finish. The galangal, lemongrass stalk and kaffir lime leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	742kcal
	35g
	58g
	46g
	31g
	14g
	8g
	1,229mg

Ingredients0/12

Tools0/10

Recipe

Tom Kha Gai

Creamy Thai coconut soup with tender chicken thighs, galangal, and straw mushrooms finished with bird's eye chilli heat and fresh coriander.

What you’ll doYou will prepare aromatic base ingredients by peeling and bruising galangal, lemongrass, and chillies, then simmer them in stock and coconut milk for 8 minutes to infuse the broth. You'll add sliced chicken thighs and mushrooms, simmer until the chicken is cooked through, then finish with fish sauce, palm sugar, and fresh lime juice.

Serves4

Total26 min

LevelEasy

Ingredients

Galangal60 g
Lemongrass stalk3 piece
Kaffir lime leaf8 piece
Bird's eye chillies6 piece
Chicken stock400 ml
Coconut milk800 ml
Chicken thigh500 g
Straw mushrooms200 g
Fish sauce3 tbsp
Palm sugar1 tbsp
Lime3 piece
Coriander leaves20 g

Tools

Large saucepanSmall bowlMeat malletChef's knifeCitrus juicerWooden spoonBowlPeelerLadleChopping boardThermometerSoup bowl

Method

Peel the galangal with a peeler, scraping away the pale skin.

30sChopping board, PeelerGalangal · 60 g

Cut the peeled galangal into thin coins, about 3 mm thick.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled galangal · step 1

Transfer the sliced galangal into the large saucepan.

5sLarge saucepanSliced galangal · step 2

Trim the root end and tough top from each lemongrass stalk, then peel away the outer layer.

20sChopping board, Chefs knifeLemongrass stalk · 3 piece

Lay each trimmed lemongrass stalk flat and bash it firmly with a meat mallet to split it open and release the oils.

20sChopping board, Meat malletTrimmed lemongrass · step 4

Add the bruised lemongrass to the saucepan with the galangal.

5sLarge saucepanBruised lemongrass · step 5

Tear each kaffir lime leaf in half along the spine and drop them into the saucepan.

10sLarge saucepanKaffir lime leaf · 8 piece

Lay the bird's eye chillies on the chopping board.

5sChopping boardBird's eye chillies · 6 piece

Press down firmly on each chilli with the flat of the meat mallet to split the skin without fully crushing them.

20sChopping board, Meat malletBird's eye chillies · step 8

Add the bruised chillies to the saucepan.

5sLarge saucepanBruised bird's eye chillies · step 9

Pour the chicken stock into the saucepan over the aromatics.

10sLarge saucepanChicken stock · 400 ml

Pour the coconut milk into the saucepan.

10sLarge saucepanCoconut milk · 800 ml

Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer and let the aromatics infuse for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice.

8 minLarge saucepan, Wooden spoon

Cut the chicken thighs across the grain into strips about 1 cm wide.

1 minChopping board, Chefs knifeChicken thigh · 500 g

Slide the sliced chicken into the simmering broth.

10sLarge saucepanSliced chicken thigh · step 14

Add the straw mushrooms to the saucepan, halving any large ones first.

10sLarge saucepanStraw mushrooms · 200 g

Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining, about 8 minutes. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.

8 minLarge saucepan, Thermometer

Stir the fish sauce into the soup.

10sLarge saucepanFish sauce · 3 tbsp

Add the palm sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved into the broth.

15sLarge saucepanPalm sugar · 1 tbsp

Halve the limes and press each half firmly on the juicer to extract all the juice.

30sSmall bowl, Citrus juicerLime · 3 piece

Pour the lime juice into the soup and stir through.

10sLarge saucepanFresh lime juice · step 20

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, making sure each portion has chicken, mushrooms and some of the aromatic pieces.

30sSoup bowl, LadleLime-sharpened tom kha gai · step 21

Scatter fresh coriander leaves over the top of each bowl to finish. The galangal, lemongrass stalk and kaffir lime leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Result · Tom Kha Gai

15sSoup bowlCoriander leaves · 20 g

Printed 7 October 2026