🦐 Tom Kha Kung
Tom Kha Kung is a Thai coconut soup built on galangal and lemongrass. Peeled shrimp and mushrooms simmer gently in coconut milk until tender, and a squeeze of lime at the end gives the creamy broth its sour, fragrant edge. It is served hot in a bowl, often alongside steamed rice.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g peeled shrimp
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 300 ml water
- 5 slices galangal
- 2 stalks lemongrass, cut and bruised
- 200 g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1–2 fresh chilies (optional)
- Salt and coriander leaves
Method
- Bring the water and half the coconut milk to a gentle simmer with the galangal and lemongrass for 5 minutes.
- Add the peeled shrimp and mushrooms and simmer until just cooked through.
- Pour in the remaining coconut milk and heat without boiling hard so it stays smooth.
- Off the heat, stir in the lime juice, season with salt and add chilies to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with coriander.
How to make it lighter
- Use half coconut milk and half water or stock for a lighter broth.
- Add extra mushrooms and vegetables to fill the bowl with fewer calories.
- Keep rice on the side and measure it, since it adds a lot to the meal.
History
Tom kha is a classic of central Thai cooking; the name means boiled galangal soup. It is served in homes and restaurants across Thailand and is one of the best-known Thai dishes abroad.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →