Adriennes Tom Ka Gai Recipes

TOM KHA GAI

Steps:

• Warm chicken broth and coconut milk together in a stockpot over medium heat; add chile sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring broth mixture to a low simmer until flavors have blended, about 15 minutes.
• Remove stockpot from heat and strain out ginger and lime leaves. Return broth mixture to the stockpot and bring to a simmer. Cook chicken in the simmering broth until no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, onion, zucchini, lemongrass, and basil and simmer until onion softens, about 3 minutes.

TOM KA KAI (THAI COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP)

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large soup pot, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. I often make this is a wok on the stove.
• Salt the chicken and add to oil, tossing to brown all the pieces. Cook about 3 minutes or until outside is browned, but not necessarily cooked all the way through.
• Add mushrooms and toss. Allow to cook until some of the moisture is cooked out and the mushrooms are soft. Turn down heat to medium-low.
• To prepare the lemongrass, slice and mince the lower portion and reserve the stalk to flavor the soup. You can use a food processor for this, or just mince it by hand. The woody upper portion of the stalk will be removed later, so don't chop it up, simply score it by making a few superficial cuts in it to allow it to flavor the soup.
• Add the whites of the onions, reserving the greens. Add the minced lower portion of the lemongrass, grated galangal, and chilies. Toss until just warmed through.
• Add the lemongrass stalk, lime leaves, chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and remaining onions, reserving just a few for garnish. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend well.
• Taste test and adjust flavors as follows:.
• Not salty enough - add more fish sauce.
• Too sour - add a little more brown sugar.
• Too spicy - add more coconut milk.
• Not spicy enough - add more chilies.
• Ladle into 4 soup bowls and garnish with remaining onion greens, cilantro, and basil.
• Variations:.
• Add more vegetables such as some sliced red bell peppers with the mushrooms.
• Serve over wide rice noodles for a main dish serving.
• Make vegetarian by increasing mushrooms in place of chicken and substituting vegetable stock.

NONG'S KHAO MAN GAI

Steps:

• Boil water in a large pot. Place chicken, garlic, ginger, salt, and sugar in the pot. Return to boil and let simmer for 35 minutes. Remove chicken, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
• Heat coconut oil in a rice cooker or heavy-bottomed pot with lid; cook and stir garlic, shallots, ginger, and pandan leaves until golden and aromatic.
• Pour rice into the rice cooker or pot; stir to coat with oil. Stir in chicken broth and set the rice cooker cycle. If using a pot, bring rice to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Combine ginger, red Thai chilies, fermented soybeans, pickled garlic, white vinegar, and soy sauce in a food processor or blender. Pulse until liquefied, but not smooth in texture.
• Debone chicken and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Place chicken pieces over cooked rice to serve. Top with sauce (or serve sauce on the side) and garnish with cucumbers and cilantro. Enjoy!