Gai Tom Kha i.e. chicken in coconut soup

In Thailand you can enjoy some excellent soups and most of them are internationally famed. Gai Tom Kha popularly known as Tom Kha Gai is one of the classic soups of Thailand. This is very easy to prepare and mothers usually like this soups as the preparation time is also very less. Tom Kha Gai is milder than Tom Yum Goong soup.

The ingredients can be noted as one or one and half cup water, one piece crushed galangal, one piece lime, ¼ cup coconut milk, two to three Thai chili pepper, one tablespoon fish sauce, two to four springs cilantro, one to two kaffir lime leaves which is optional, and ¼ cup chicken.

If the soup tastes too mild you can add some more fish sauce, or sometimes lime and chili pepper. The ingredients of this Thai soup are flexible and you can alter it according to your taste bud.

At first a piece of galangal should be crushed. The galangal, water and coconut milk should be dropped in a two quart pot. It should be then boiled in medium to low heat. After sometime the heat should be reduced to simmer and this should be followed by constant stirring. Sliced chicken and fish sauce is added just after sometime. If you are planning to add the kaffir lime leaves, the central stem should be removed from the leaves. The soup should be boiled for some more time and the heat should be turned off.
While serving, add some crushed fresh chili pepper to the bowl. It is very useful if you are suffering from sinus. But if do not like the hot taste, pepper should be avoided. You can add some for garnishing. One third of the lime should be crushed in each of the bowl. The soup is poured and cilantro is used for garnishing. The soup should always be served hot.