Name: Tom Kha (Lemongrass Coconut Soup)
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 slices galanga (if you can't find this, just skip to the ginger); 4 slices ginger; 1/2 onion (brown or white); 1 tomato (medium-sized one ideally, or a handful of tiny tomatoes (e.g. cherry, grape, etc.)); 1 stalk lemongrass (chop into chunks (diagonal cross-sections) ); 3-4 kaffir lime leaves; 1/2 lime (lemon, okay); 2-3 tbspn tom yum paste; 1/2 cube chicken bouillon; coconut milk (1/2 of a regular can, or all of a tiny can (about 1 cup))

Tom kha, a lemongrass coconut soup and a Thai classic. This is the ultimate soup for fragrant, bold, and pungent flavors. Just one sip and I’m immediately taken back to the markets and amazing street food in Thailand. Take a sip and you’ll see.

I learned this straight from the chefs in Thailand themselves (Chiang Mai to be exact) at a cooking school, so I mean it when I say that this recipe is authentic. Sure, I made a few tweaks, but I didn’t dare veer too far.

In any case, if you want fragrant, citrusy, and pungent flavors in a broth, this is for you. This soup packs a serious punch of flavors thanks to all the fresh ingredients from the herbs to the spices to the lime. This recipe mainly focuses on the flavors of the broth. You can totally add meat and tofu if you like. (I usually go for the tofu).

This is an easy and authentic recipe to make Tom Kha right at home. Ready to wake up those senses?

Frangrant. Bold. Pungent.

Recipe Notes

TOTAL TIME: About 30 minutes.

SERVES: 4-6

EQUIPMENT: A good soup pot (about 3 qt)

Ingredients

Galanga (fine if you don’t have as long as you’ve got the ginger)
Ginger
Onion (brown/white)
Tomato
Lemongrass
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Lime (or lemon)
Coconut Milk
Tom Yum Soup Base Paste (this is my go-to – I swear by this soup base. I will not cook this soup without this one. Others just aren’t as good.)
Chicken Bouillon

Optional ingredients:

You can add a protein and vegetables too. I focused on the broth in this recipe as a foundation for the soup — you can add your choice of meat and vegetables. I usually go with the tofu over chicken/pork (just easier).

Best go-to vegetable with this soup: mushrooms (e.g., enoki, king oyster, beech, or even the basic button).

Instructions

Boil half a pot of water on medium-high heat
Add galanga, ginger, onion, tomato, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves
Let come to a boil, and let simmer until onions and tomatoes are “melted”/easily come apart. (Note: This is important! Keep simmering until the tomato and onion are practically melting. This creates flavor and serves as a good timer for the other ingredients to infuse the broth.)
Add tom yum paste and coconut milk, chicken bouillon, and salt to taste
Stir together and simmer
Squeeze in lime/lemon

Kitchen Notes

“Not too sweet” – I like my dishes “not too sweet”, or with no sugar at all, so heads-up that this is not a sweet soup; just pure spicy, aromatic, and pungent!
The fresh ingredients are what make this recipe. You might need to go to your local Asian grocery store to find some of these ingredients, such as the lemongrass, galanga, and tom yum soup base. 99 Ranch Market is a reliable grocery staple in Asian, primarily Chinese families, that will carry these ingredients. It’s where I get all of mine.
This recipe hits the easy button by using the Tom Yum soup base paste that’s already pre-made (this is my ultimate go-to tom yum soup base). The ultimate old school, OG version of Tom Yum and Tom Kha – as well as almost all the curry bases – come from dedicated mortar and pestling/pounding. Using a mortar and pestle creates a more complex flavor profile and texture, but it takes time. So on busy weeknights, I go for the easy button and opt for the soup base paste. It does a good job at packing in all the flavors, while saving me the time.

Serve with

Serve with jasmine rice, noodles, a warm steak salad, or a sizzling sauteed dish.

Want More Soup?

Try out these other soups from the Imperfectly Wabi Sabi Cookbook, all emphasizing bold flavors, fresh and healthy ingredients, that are tasty and simple to make.

Hot and Sour Soup – a classic Chinese soup that’s savory, bold, and well, hot and sour. You’ll find it at almost every Chinese restaurant in the US. But did you know that this is one of the easiest and quickest soups to make right at home? Try our recipe for Hot and Sour Soup, vegetarian style.
Miso Pumpkin Soup – It’s like miso soup, but with a thicker and richer flavor using pumpkins. This Miso Pumpkin Soup serves as a vibrant and flavorful side or start to warm up any meal. Simple, flavorful, and healthy. Try our Miso Pumpkin Recipe.

Enjoy!