Tom Kha Kai Part 2

Armed with a new recipe for Tom Kha Kai, M* and I made a trip to Cho Mee on Mill Road to pick up a few ingredients: kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, tamarind-chili paste and tamarind. I had bought two large chicken breasts from the local butcher, and they ended up being exactly one pound, which is the weight the recipe called for. We've found that the meats from the butcher really do taste better. We also had homemade chicken broth which is more flavorful and is less salty than canned broth.

We followed the recipe exactly, and the result was better than any we've had in a restaurant.

Just a few notes for next time:
*There was not as much soup as we'd like—if you are having it for a meal it makes about four bowls. However, we were planning on having a lot left over for the week. Next time we'll double the recipe.
*The tamarind that I bought did not blend well with water to make paste. There were fibrous bits of tamarind skin (think that's what it was) that I had to pick out. I spent a bit of time going over the shelves in the store, but I'll look again to find tamarind that will produce a better paste.
*We had red chilies that I'd bought at Seoul Plaza, and we tasted them to test the heat. M* and I both agreed that they weren't that hot, so I used five in the soup. While eating the soup, M* chewed and swallowed two and looked as if he was going to explode or throw-up. What I didn't realize is that if you are going to test the heat of the chili, you need to test the top of the chili where the capsaicin is stored. I had cut off the bottom of the chili for M* and me to test. Oops. Luckily the chilies did not make the soup too spicy and M* was able to taste the soup after much water and about 20 minutes.
*We added a red pepper. If we'd had a fresh tomato, we'd have added that as well—cut into quarters.

Tom Kha Kai - Thai Chicken, Ginger, and Coconut Milk Soup

from RecipeGullet.com

Thai-Flavored Chicken Stock
2 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 small handful cilantro stems (leaves reserved for other use)
freshly ground black pepper

Tom Kha Gai
2 cups Thai-Flavored Chicken Stock
14 oz unsweetened coconut milk (I use 1 well-shaken can of Chaokoh)
4—5 oz Siamese Ginger (Galanga), unpeeled and cut into slices
1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and sliced into large pieces then bruised
2 tbsp nam phrik pao (Chili-Tamarind Paste)*
6 pairs kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 large lime, juiced
1/2—1 tbsp tamarind sauce**
1—2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
2—3 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce) -- less if using pre-salted stock
1 can can straw mushrooms, drained (or white button mushrooms, brushed of dirt and quartered)
1 pound chicken, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3—6 stemmed and lightly crushed Thai chilies (if you want more heat)


1. Put the stock in a pan with the cilantro, garlic, and pepper. Heat over low.

2. While the stock is warming, add the lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves. Increase to medium and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and simmer for 1 minute. Add the nam phrik pao, lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind sauce. Stir until dissolved. Add the drained mushrooms and Thai chilis. Taste for balance, adding more of whatever is needed.

4. Remove from heat and serve warm. Be sure to only eat the chicken pieces, mushrooms, and Thai chilies if you dare (feel free to separate out the aromatics before serving if you wish). Tastes great leftover (I usually leave in a few pieces of the aromatics before refrigerating).

* see this for a recipe or use about 1 1/2 to 2 T of the medium-hot Pantainorasingh brand "Roasted Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil"

** Use 1 oz of seedless tamarind paste to 1/2 cup of warm water, strain. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for about a week. Or use premade "soup base" - make sure the only ingredients are tamarind and water. If you can't find this, use more lime juice instead until balanced.