Name: Tom Kha Gai
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 stalks lemongrass, bottom pale half only, bruised and cut into 5cm pieces; 2–5 Thai bird's eye chillies, bruised with the side of a knife; 50 g galangal, fresh or frozen, sliced into thin coins; 2 small shallots, peeled and halved or quartered; 6 makrut lime leaves, torn in half, central stem removed; 350 ml low-salt chicken stock; 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, 1 tin, unsweetened; 1½ tsp palm sugar, finely shaved; 2–3 tbsp fish sauce; 450 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced thinly against the grain; 200 g oyster or straw mushrooms, halved or torn into bite-sized pieces; 2–3 tbsp fresh lime juice, from 1–2 limes; 15 g fresh coriander, chopped, to serve; 15 g spring onions, sliced, to serve; 1 tsp chilli oil, to serve

Method

Smash the lemongrass stalks and whole Thai chillies firmly with the flat side of a heavy chef's knife or a pestle and mortar until slightly cracked. Cut the lemongrass into 5cm segments. Slice the galangal into thin coins, peel and halve the shallots, and tear the makrut lime leaves in half, ripping out the tough centre vein.
10 mins
Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a medium pot over a medium heat. Add the galangal, lemongrass, shallots, bruised chillies and half of the makrut lime leaves. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the broth smells intensely citrusy and herbal.
5 mins
Pour in the coconut milk, palm sugar and 2 tbsp of fish sauce. Bring the liquid back to a bare simmer with small bubbles around the edges, then slide in the sliced chicken thighs and mushrooms. Cook gently for 6–8 minutes until the chicken is opaque and tender, keeping the heat low so the coconut fat does not split.
8 mins
Turn off the heat completely so the lime juice does not turn bitter. Stir in the remaining makrut lime leaves and 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice. Taste the broth and adjust the balance with the remaining 1 tbsp of lime juice or fish sauce as needed.
2 mins
Ladle the soup into deep bowls and top generously with fresh coriander leaves, sliced spring onions and a drizzle of chilli oil if you want extra heat.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot in deep bowls alongside steamed jasmine rice. Leave the galangal coins, lemongrass and makrut lime leaves in the bowl for flavour, working around them with your spoon as they are too fibrous to eat.

Cook’s tips

Swaps: replace galangal with 25g fresh ginger and extra lime juice; lemongrass with 2 tbsp lemongrass paste or 2 strips of unwaxed lemon zest; makrut lime leaves with 1 tsp lime zest added off the heat; bird's eye chillies with 1–2 sliced red cayenne chillies or 1 tsp chilli flakes; oyster mushrooms with shimeji, shiitake or chestnut mushrooms; chicken thighs with breast (poach 1–2 minutes less); shallots with half a small red onion; fish sauce with soy sauce and a pinch of salt; palm sugar with light brown sugar. Storage: galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves and bird's eye chillies freeze well in freezer bags and can be used straight from frozen.