Tom Kha Gai — Coconut Galangal Chicken Soup / ต้มข่าไก่
Tom kha is the coconut-rich counterpart to tom yum — the same aromatic base (galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves) but poached in coconut milk rather than clear broth, creating a soup that is silky, fragrant, and less aggressive than tom yum. The galangal ('kha' gives the soup its name) is the dominant aromatic — it must be fresh, young, and sliced in 5mm rounds so it infuses efficiently without becoming too dominant. Chicken thigh (skin-on for fat, on the bone for flavour) is the traditional protein. Oyster mushrooms or straw mushrooms complete the dish. Like tom yum, lime juice and fish sauce are calibrated off-heat — the boiled-lime problem applies equally here.
11 in town · one not yet within reach.
- In town
- 11 · coconut milk, chicken stock, boneless chicken thighs, lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce, palm sugar, fresh lime juice, cherry tomatoes, thai basil, cilantro
- Not yet within reach
- 1 · red curry paste
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
Within reach counts in town, delivered, shipped and the nearest city. A staple counts once it has a local seller. Charted from each shop's own pages; not yet vouched by a cook who shops here.
The larder of Surrey →Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
The Method
Sensory Tests
What to Pour
Nothing from British Columbia holds against this yet.
No pour without alcohol holds against this yet.
Why each one works is part of membership — Enter · from $49 a year →
The whole pairing