This recipe came from: http://www.daringgourmet.com/tom-kha-gai/
*Pic 1 - Picture from http://www.daringgourmet.com/tom-kha-gai/
My Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I used ginger instead of galangal... For you purists, I am well aware that galangal is the most authentic way to go; in fact, it is hard to even call it a real Tom Kha Gai without the galangal. But, I don't have an Asian market convenient to my home, so I used fresh ginger root. I used roasted shredded chicken from the deli (because I am into easy!), and I had to choose between using dried Thai basil or fresh "regular" basil, so I chose to use the fresh (always!). I used king oyster mushrooms (although white button, cremini, or straw mushrooms would also have done the trick - not shiitake). I left the seeds in my Thai chilis rather than seeding them. I also added three sliced green onions to the pot, just because I like them. :-)
General Thoughts: Although I am a big fan of Asian soups, and I have made several that turned out well, I was worried about making a Tom Kha Gai. Why? Well, it is my favorite variety of Asian soup, and it is so common in restaurants in the United States. Tom Kha Gai has a very distinct taste; when it is done right, the eater definitely knows it, but the opposite is also true - if you get it wrong, it is really wrong! Plus, I had just eaten it in Thailand, where it was born, and it was out of this world! So, I was worried that any recipe I tried at home would not measure up...
*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it
I am happy to say that my fears turned out to be unfounded!
The soup was hearty, owing to the chicken, and provided a pleasant variety of textures in each bite (although, I did have to remove the fresh lemongrass and ginger slices, both of which won't hurt you but are quite tough if you try to chew them). Using unsweetened coconut milk gave the soup the perfect creaminess without being overly sweet or coconutty. And, Thai chilis, being naturally quite spicy, were prescribed by the recipe in the perfect proportion, giving the soup a very manageable mild chili heat (with the occasional small spike, if you happened to bite directly into a piece of the chili), but not enough to bother even those that prefer their food on the milder side.
A quick note about Asian fish sauce... If you are making an Asian soup and the recipe calls for fish sauce, even if you do not like fish or seafood normally, GO FOR IT! In general, Asian fish sauce does not create a fish flavor in a non-seafood soup, but rather imparts a very important flavor profile to the dish overall. My wife abhors anything from the sea (e.g., fish, shrimp, seaweed, etc.), but she thought the soup was very good (even after I told her it contained fish sauce).
Polling the Fam: I really liked how it came out, and I would have been satisfied if I had been served this creation at a Thai restaurant here in my hometown. Not 100% authentic, but if you are looking for a solid Tom Kha Gai that is a crowd pleaser and gives you an authentic Thai taste, this it! Although I was nervous about what Becky would think, she really liked it (after picking out the mushrooms, of course, of which she is never a fan). She said the heat was perfect, the flavor was great, and we should put it in our regular family rotation. Hunter, likewise, really enjoyed the soup; he is normally a fan of Asian soups but had never had Tom Kha Gai before. Lisa, to whom I sent a soup care package and who ate it for lunch today (Monday) leftover, said, "It was really good!! The broth was super flavorful with heat but not crazy... yum!" So, I think we found another 100% winner...
Verdict: Loved it. (5 stars)
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