Yousif Al-Amin, 129 TESS

Hello! Have Yous Eaten Yet? If not, head over to your local (super)market and pick up the ingredients listed inside this recipe to make your very own authentic Thai dish! Tom Kha Gai is a staple in Thai cuisine, tastes incredible due to the combination of spicy, salty, and sour flavors, and is easy enough to make at home! I love Tom Kha because you don’t need any curry paste to make it – if you’ve got lime juice and a few vegetables, you’re pretty much set. Though it very much resembles a soup, Tom Kha is usually spooned on top of Jasmine rice and eaten like a curry.

Today’s episode features my family and friends in my village trying out the finished product and weighing in on how it tastes. Take a look for yourself to see what they think!

Tom Kha Gai – (ต้มข่าไก่)

Ingredients:

• 250 ml coconut milk
• ½ kg chicken thigh, chopped
• 1 thumb sized chunk of galangal, sliced
• 2-3 stalks of lemongrass, sliced
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 large or 2 small onions, cut into 1 inch thick strips
• 7-10 red Thai chilis, halved
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 cup of oyster mushrooms, if available
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tbsp salt
• 1.5 cups water
• Optional: 1 chicken stock cube

Directions:

1. Turn heat on med-high. Add 250 ml coconut into a pot and warm, stirring and lowering heat if it comes to a boil.
2. Throw in sliced galangal and lemongrass and let simmer for 2 minutes.
3. When it nearly comes to a boil, add in chicken thigh and stir. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add in either 1.5 cups of water or 1.5 cups chicken stock.
4. As it comes to a boil, add in potatoes, Thai chilis, and onion. Continue to stir and allow to simmer for several more minutes.
5. Crumple up kaffir lime leaves in your hands, and then add directly to the pot.
6. Add tomatoes and mushrooms.
7. Flavor with ½ tbsp of salt (or more to taste). Check to make sure chicken and potatoes are fully cooked. Once ready, turn off heat and stir in 4 tbsp of lime juice.
8. Serve with Jasmine rice.