Gai Tom Kha or Tom Kha Gai as I remember the dish from my days at home in Thailand, is one of the classics. Because the soup is so simple to make, my mother made Gai Tom Kha when she ran out of ideas about what to have. My mother would send me to fetch some Galangal (Kha) from the bush around the side of the house. It's a root and I would have to dig down 6 inches to get it. It also has beautiful flowers that look like orchids. I've never grown them here in the US, but I bet you could from the roots you get fresh in the market, if you live where it's warm.
I can't grow them where I live, so my virtual Kha bush is a bag in the freezer, and now I also cook this soup when I'm out of ideas.
This is meant to have a milder flavor than a soup like Tom Yum Goong.
2 Servings
Tips and substitutions
As always, if you find the recipe to be too mild, add more fish sauce, chili pepper or lime.
This is a dish that is not very flexible in allowing for alterations.
Crush a piece of galangal, 1 inch thick with the flat part of a cleaver or meat tenderizer (or you can be civilized and slice it). Drop the galangal, coconut milk and water, into a 2 quart pot. Let the pot boil at medium to low heat. Reduce heat to simmer and stir frequently, otherwise the coconut milk will curdle. Add sliced chicken and fish sauce. If you have the kaffir lime leaves, remove the central stem from the leaves and add kaffir lime leaves to the soup. Let boil again and turn off the heat.
In serving bowls, add crushed fresh Thai chili pepper. Watch out for the crushed chili, it will clear your sinus better than wasabi. If you do not like it hot, do not crush the peppers, just float them for decoration. Squeeze the 1/3 of a lime in each bowl. Pour the soup in bowls and add cilantro for garnish. Serve hot.
