Tom Kha Soup: The Creamy Coconut Version of Tom Yum

If tom yum is Thailand's hot-and-sour soup, tom kha is its gentler, coconut-milk cousin — the same aromatic base of galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime, but mellowed with coconut milk into something rich and comforting rather than sharp. It's often the better starting point if you're new to Thai cooking.

What you'll need

• Coconut milk (full-fat, for the right richness)
• Galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves
• Chicken, shrimp, or mushrooms
• Fish sauce
• Lime juice
• Thai chillies (fewer than tom yum — tom kha is milder)
• A pinch of sugar to round out the sourness

Method

1. Simmer coconut milk gently with sliced galangal, bruised lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves for 10 minutes — do not boil hard, or the coconut milk can split.
2. Add protein and cook through.
3. Season with fish sauce, a pinch of sugar, and lime juice off the heat.
4. Finish with sliced chillies and fresh coriander.

The result should be creamy, aromatic, and only gently spicy — adjust chilli to taste. Every ingredient above is available from Oishii Asian Mart's Thai pantry range, shipped across the Baltics. Want the sharper, hot-and-sour version instead? See our tom yum recipe.