One of my favorite soups is this Thai classic, Tom Kha. It has fantastic warmth from the ginger, richness from the coconut milk, and lightness from the lemongrass and lime. It really is outstanding. Sometimes I make this soup almost vegan, by using vegetable broth and tofu in place of the chicken — those adjustments are included in the recipe.
To make this recipe truly vegan, you need to make a fish sauce substitute, something I don’t do regularly but have tried. I use this method from Cook’s Illustrated. Either way you decide to make it, this soup will leave you feeling perfectly satisfied, especially if you pair it with my Thai Carrot Salad and some sliced mango (pictured below).
- 2" ginger root, peeled
- 1" turmeric root, peeled
- 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layer removed.
- 2 tsp lime zest plus 10 kaffir lime leaves
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 pound chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (I love using leftover roasted chicken) OR for a vegan option use 1 pound of extra-firm tofu cut into bite-sized cubes.
- 6" piece of daikon radish
- 12 oz enoki, shiitake, oyster, or maitake mushrooms, broken or cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 Tbl fish sauce (for vegan fish sauce, see link in text)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch cilantro
- red pepper flakes
- garnish with: cilantro, red pepper flakes, and lime wedges
- Cut the ginger and turmeric into thin disks and smash a little with the side of your chef's knife to help release the flavors.
- Cut the lemongrass into 2 inch slices and smash like the ginger.
- Add the broth to a large stockpan and add the lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, lime leaves, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Slice the daikon radish in half, length-wise and then slice into thin half-disks.
- Remove the lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves with a strainer.
- Add the chicken or tofu (if chicken is uncooked, return soup to a boil to cook the chicken, once the soup is boiling again, reduce the heat to a slow simmer).
- Add the mushrooms and daikon radish and simmer until chicken is cooked (~20 minutes) or until the pre-cooked chicken or tofu is heated through (~10 minutes).
- Mix in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar, stir to incorporate and warm for 5 minutes.
- Serve the soup in bowls and top with cilantro, red pepper, and limes.