Authentic Tom Kha Gai Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Tom Kha and Tom Kha Gai? ›

Perhaps you have seen “Tom Kha Gai” on the menu at Thai restaurants- “Tom Kha” means galangal (flavorful relative of ginger) soup and “Tom Kha Gai” refers to the chicken version of the soup. And “Tom Yum” refers to a different Thai soup that has a tomato base instead of coconut milk.

Tom Yum Goong is the original, classic hot and sour Thai soup. Goong is the Thai word for shrimp. To make Tom Yum Goong, shrimp heads are boiled to release the shrimp tomalley and flavor into the broth before making the soup. Gai is the Thai word for chicken.

What is Tom Kah Gai? It's a spicy Thai coconut soup with galangal and chicken. Tom Kha is a creamy-spicy soup, made with coconut milk, whereas Tom Yum is a non-creamy, hot and sour soup, often containing prawns (shrimp).

Take for example the dish Tom Kha Gai (or Tom Kha Kai): A hot and sour soup with chicken and coconut milk popular in Thai and Laotian cuisine, the name of the dish quite literally translates into cooked chicken galangal (tom = cooked, kha = galangal, gai = chicken).

Best: Tom Yum Soup

Tom yum has fewer than 100 calories per cup. It also has shrimp, veggies, and fragrant spices, such as lemongrass. Tom yum and other broth-based soups, like tofu-vegetable or wonton, are usually lower in fat and calories than soups made with coconut milk, such as tom kha.

The nutritional benefits of Tom Kha Gai are as varied as its ingredients. Chicken, the soup's traditional protein, is an excellent source of lean protein, crucial for muscle repair and overall body health.

The Thai word for “boil” or tom (pronounced “dtome”) features prominently on Thai menus and tom yum goong is probably one of the most famous Thai dishes in the world.

Now that we've established that “tom” means “boiling a broth”, knowing that “kha” means galangal will quickly help us understand that this soup's main ingredient is the galangal (don't confuse it with “king” or ginger now!).

The name "tom yam" is composed of two Thai words. Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam means 'mixed'.

Originated in Thailand, this is sometimes called Tom Yam and is a soup that normally includes shrimp in a hot and sour serving. The words Tom Yam mean “boiling” or “hot” and “spicy and sour” which perfectly describes this soup.

What does tom yam mean in Thai? ›

The words “tom yum” are derived from two Thai words: “tom” and “yam”. “Tom” refers to boiling process, while “yam” refers to a kind of Lao and Thai spicy and sour salad. Thus, “tom yum” is a Lao and Thai hot and sour soup and is indeed the most famous Thai soup.

Traditionally, this is served over steamed jasmine rice, but you can have fun serving it over rice noodles, too. The toppings served with tom kha gai vary, but a bundle of cilantro leaves, wedges of lime, extra fish sauce and a basic chili oil are standard options.

Tom kha gai, or Thai coconut chicken soup, is a spicy and sour hot soup made with coconut milk. The heat comes from chili-garlic sauce and the sour from the lime juice.

Sour – A Tangy Twist

One popular Thai soup that showcases this flavor is Tom Yum. Bursting with the zing of lime juice, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, this hot and sour soup is a culinary sensation. The quintessential Green Papaya Salad, or Som Tum, is an other dish where the sour flavor shines.

Coconut milk may benefit health in several ways, such as by stimulating weight loss and lowering cholesterol. It can also add flavor to sweet and savory dishes and serve as an alternative to dairy milk. Coconut water is the liquid inside a coconut, while coconut milk comes from the fruit's white flesh.

Variations. There are other versions of tom kha kai made with seafood (tom kha thale, Thai: ต้มข่าทะเล), mushrooms (tom kha het, Thai: ต้มข่าเห็ด), pork (tom kha mu, Thai: ต้มข่าหมู) and tofu (tom kha taohu, Thai: ต้มข่าเต้าหู้).

Thai soups are some of the most well-known dishes of Thai cuisine. If you've had any exposure to Thai food, you'll likely recognize tom yum (also spelled tom yam) or even tom kha. And, if you want to learn how to cook Thai food, soups are some of the easiest recipes to start with.

There are two different types of Tom Yum soup. The original Tom Yum is a clear soup called Tom Yum Nam Sai. The later version, which is commonly seen and widely adored, is a vibrant-coloured, richer and creamier soup called Tom Yum Nam Khon as it has roasted chilli paste, evaporated milk or coconut cream added to it.