How to make Tom kha kai

Ingredients

• 400 ml coconut milk
• 400 ml chicken stock
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 5 cm pieces and bruised with a knife
• 5 cm piece of galangal (or ginger), thinly sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 400 g boneless chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced
• 150 g mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 to 2 small chillies, lightly crushed (optional), and fresh coriander to serve

Method

1. Put the coconut milk, stock, lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves in a pan and bring slowly to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes so the herbs flavour the soup.
2. Add the chicken and mushrooms and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar and chillies, then take the pan off the heat and add the lime juice.
4. Taste: it should be creamy, sour and salty with a little sweetness. Add more lime or fish sauce if needed.
5. Serve sprinkled with coriander. The lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves are there for flavour and are not eaten.