Tom Kha Gai

Method

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1. Bring the stock to a simmer with the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and chillies and infuse for 10 minutes.

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2. Add the coconut milk and bring back to a gentle simmer — never a boil, which would split it.

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3. Add the chicken and poach for 5 minutes until just cooked through.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

4. Add the mushrooms and simmer 3 minutes more.

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5. Stir in the chilli jam if using and the palm sugar.

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6. Take the pot off the heat and season with the fish sauce and lime juice, tasting and adjusting until it is balanced between creamy, sour and salty.

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7. Scatter with coriander and spring onions and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

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Chef’s Tips

• Keep it below a simmer once the coconut milk is in, or the fat separates and the soup looks curdled.
• Slice the chicken thinly so it poaches in minutes and stays tender.
• Adjust the lime last and generously — coconut milk mutes acidity more than you expect.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• For a non-vegan version, double cream can generally stand in for the coconut milk; going the other way, a plant-based cream sold for cooking is the closer match to dairy than tinned coconut milk on its own.
• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager or a Gewürztraminer
• Serve with jasmine rice and a green salad
• Finish with sliced mango

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days. Reheat gently without boiling and refresh with a squeeze of lime.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.