There’s a reason why Thailand is a culinary superpower in South East Asia — the food there is as diverse as it’s history, with incredible spicy, zingy, umami, sweet, punchy, and bright flavours that exist in perfect harmony with each other. This tom kha soup is the perfect example of that dynamic flavour complexity — it’s a silky coconut milk broth soup that’s been infused with quintessential Thai ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal (kha). While it might require a special trip to the grocery store to get these ingredients, it’s so worth the soup that you get.
The curry paste is what brings all the flavour to the soup — it’s packed with aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, and lime zest. Galangal or kha is traditional to a tom kha, but you could substitute it for ginger in a pinch. If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, double up on the lime zest and juice. The resulting paste gives the soup the punchy Thai flavours we love — no pre-made mix or curry paste required.
The aromatic curry paste combined with a simple vegetable broth and creamy coconut milk imparts a mellow silkiness that’s so delicious and crave-worthy. You could skip the broth and only use coconut milk if you prefer a creamier soup, but I feel the broth is essential to balance it out. Mushrooms and tofu provide bulk to make it a complete meal. If you’re not vegan and would like to make this with meat instead, use a cup of shredded chicken for a classic tom kha gai.
As with many curry based broths and stews, this soup tastes even better the next day when the flavours have meld together. I highly recommend making a bigger batch, and then enjoying it throughout the week!
On it’s own, the soup is simple and delicious, but not that exciting to look at — but there’s nothing a few garnishes can’t fix. So get in all of the toppings: herbs for freshness, chilli oil for heat, MORE lime for a zing! It’s what makes the flavours pop. Serve the soup in bowls topped with a handful of fresh coriander and mint. Add a generous dash of a good quality chilli oil — don’t skip this, because it’s the little kick of heat that keeps you going back for more. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime to brighten up the whole thing. Serve as is, or with some steamed jasmine rice.
- 2 3” pieces of lemongrass, outer stems and leaves removed
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1” knob of galangal, peeled (substitute with ginger if required)
- 6-8 kaffir lime leaves, torn and stem removed
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 180g mushrooms (button, oyster, cremini or shiitake — whichever you prefer), thinly sliced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 400ml coconut milk (1 can)
- 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Salt, to taste
- 150g tofu, cut into cubes (optional)
- To serve: coriander leaves, mint, chilli oil, lime wedges
- First, combine the lemongrass, garlic, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lime zest and lime juice in a food processor or blender until it becomes a coarse paste.
- In a large deep bottomed pot, bring the vegetable oil to medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms, without stirring too much. Once browned, add the aromatics paste and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the tofu cubes (if using) and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with coriander leaves, mint, and a dash of chilli oil. Serve alongside lime wedges.
