Alternative names | Chicken coconut soup, galangal soup |
---|---|
Type | Soup |
Place of origin | Thailand and Laos |
Serving temperature | hot |
Main ingredients | Coconut milk, galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, mushrooms and chicken |
Tom kha kai, tom kha gai or Thai coconut soup (Thai: ต้มข่าไก่, rtgs: tom kha kai, pronounced [tôm kʰàː kàj]; Lao: ຕົ້ມຂ່າໄກ່, tom kha kai, pronounced [tôm.kʰāː.kāj]), literally "chicken galangal soup") is a spicy and sour hot soup with coconut milk in Thai and Lao cuisines.
In Thailand, most tom kha kai recipes typically include coconut milk, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Thai chili peppers, coriander (or dill weed), straw mushrooms (or shiitake or other mushrooms), chicken, fish sauce, and lime juice. Fried chilies are sometimes added.
In a Thai-style tom kha kai, dill weed is not used, whereas in a Lao-style tom kha kai, dill weed (phak si, Lao: ຜັກຊີ) is used. Dill weed is a common herb which is used in Lao cuisine. The Thais' answer to dill weed (known in Thailand as phak chi Lao (Thai: ผักชีลาว), since it is known locally as a Lao herb) in Thai tom kha is coriander or cilantro (phak chi, Thai: ผักชี).