Tom kha gai is Thailand's delicious national dish coming from the central part of the country and bearing the influence of neighbouring Laos. It is a soup whose name translates to boiled galangal chicken soup, consisting of coconut milk, chicken chunks or shreds, galangal (reddish-brown or pink woody plant related to ginger), lemongrass, garlic, bird's eye chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and shiitake mushrooms.
Galangal's peppery, pungent, slightly sour and floral flavors provide an interesting contrast to the creaminess of coconut milk, creating a wonderfully aromatic dish in the process. Tom kha gai is highly nutritious with great medicinal properties, such as the ability to soothe the gastro-intestinal tract.
MOST ICONIC Tom kha gai
Roughly translated as boat noodle soup, this Thai dish was initially sold from boats that navigated through Bangkok canals. The base is made with different types of noodles that are doused in a flavorsome beef broth, while the toppings usually include beef or pork, meatballs, bean sprouts, morning glory, and pork’s liver.
Traditionally, the dish is finished off with the addition of animal blood, which provides thickness and imparts a distinctive flavor. Nowadays, boat noodles can be enjoyed in restaurants and various street stalls, but locals and tourists alike flock to the so-called boat noodle alley, where most vendors specialize in the preparation of this dish.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tom yum boran is a traditional noodle soup originating from Central Thailand. The soup is based on pork and egg noodles. Other common ingredients used to prepare tom yum boran include lime juice, onions, crushed peanuts, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, bean sprouts, red chili flakes, hot chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind water, and fish sauce (nam pla).
The soup is simmered until the meat is tender, and the noodles are then divided between bowls with the soup poured over them. Tom yum boran is typically garnished with scallions, chili flakes, peanuts, and a squeeze of lime juice.
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