Tom Kha minus the Kha

I had a crazy craving for some Tom Kha soup one day so I went out and made sure I had every single ingredient on my list.  SOMEHOW, I managed to forget a key player: the galangal (thai ginger). 

The bad news is that this particular ingredient actually made the title [read: mandatory], but the GOOD news is that I've never before included it in this recipe, and so far, I think I've done pretty alright. 

If you've got it, definitely use it (and let me know if I'm crazy to continue making this soup without it!)

What you'll need:

chicken broth

coconut milk

fish sauce

chicken

mushrooms

carrots

onion

lemongrass

hot thai chilies

sugar

lime

oil

galangal (I guueess)

Start the Tom:

• In small saucepan, heat oil and cook onions (thinly sliced) and mushrooms together
• Start your soup base in a separate pot - combine a can each of chicken broth and coconut milk with your burner on medium heat
• Add very coarsely chopped thai chillies (Hint - start with two or three and add more if you can take the heat.  Make sure you avoid these while you're eating or else you won't be able to taste the soup - these babies are HOT)
• Add 1 chopped lemongrass stem, 3-4 tbsp each of fish sauce and sugar, sliced carrot, and your onion/mushroom combo
• Bring mixture to a boil and add raw chicken pieces a few at a time
• Reduce heat once chicken is cooked and taste your masterpiece
• Play around with the salty sour combination of fish sauce (careful with this stuff - it's got enough sodium to kill a horse) and lime, which you should hold off on adding until the end to preserve its flavour

You can make this a vegetarian dish by swapping the chicken stock for vegetable stock, fish sauce for mushroom and/or soy sauce, and of course the chicken for some of your favourite veggies.

Oh screw the galangal - you don't need it!