Tom Kha Soup

What better way to start this blog than with one of my most favoritist things!  :D   It is surprisingly easy to make, but the trick is finding the right ingredients and making the chili sauce ahead of time. Or you might be able to find a good premade one, but the ones I have looked at don't have the same ingredients as the one I make from scratch. Once you have everything on hand, it is a snap! I have been able to find the specialty items at Whole Foods or New Seasons locally, and many Asian markets would probably have them as well. I put the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir leaves in a bouquet garni bag so they are not all floating around in the soup. It doesn't seem to impact the flavor too much as I have done it both ways and saves you from having to pick all the tough bits out! Also note that making the chili sauce with with coconut oil means it will harden up in the fridge. This makes it a bit hard to scoop out. It helps to run a metal spoon under hot water and use that to move it to a measuring spoon.

Tom Kha Soup

Whatcha Need:

Nam Phrik Phao (Roasted Chili Sauce):

NOTE: You will only need 1 TB of this, but it is nice to have it for next time, or you can try it in other Thai experiments!

2 TB small dried red chilies

1 TB fish sauce

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 shallots, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1/4 cup dried shrimp

1 ts palm sugar (I have left out during Whole 30 and it is fine)

2 ts tamarind juice (I have also left this out when I didn't have time to shop for it, and that was also OK)

For Soup:

3 1/2 cups coconut milk (look for a brand with no preservatives)

1 cup water

1 oz. fresh galangal root (about an inch), sliced

1 oz. fresh lemon grass, cut in 1 inch pieces

5 kaffir lime leaves, cut in half

2-3 fresh green chilies, cut in half, to taste for HEAT! (I have also left these out for a milder version)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, diced (this can be left out for a side dish or upped for a much meatier soup)

1/2 lb small mushrooms, halved

1/3 cup lime juice

3 TB fish sauce

3 ts sweetener of your choice (I have also left this out with OK results)

1 ts salt

2 TB cilantro, chopped

1 TB Nam Prik Phao (see above)

Whatcha Do:

First you need to make the chili paste. This can be done days in advance. One recipe should last you for a few batches. Heat coconut oil in a skillet and fry the shallots and garlic until golden brown. Remove from oil and set on a paper towel. Add the dried shrimp and dried chilies , and fry until golden brown. I found the next step worked great with an immersion blender. A regular blender will work too, although can be tricky for such a small amount. You can always double the recipe though! You basically just want to transfer the oil with shrimp and chili, the shallots and garlic, and all the rest of the ingredients into a container and blend. This should keep in the fridge for at least 3-4 months.

When you are ready to start the soup, put coconut milk and water in a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Put the galangal, lemon grass and kaffir leaves in a cloth bag or a couple of tea balls if you wish, and add to the pot, along with the chilies. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sweetener and salt, and cook until the chicken is done. Add the cilantro and stir briefly.

To serve, put 1 TB of Nam Phrik Phao in the bottom of a large serving bowl, and pour the soup over it while still hot. Stir until incorporated into the soup. (You can also just stir it in, but make sure it gets well dissolved.) Eat and go to Thai heaven!