Tom Kha Gai Soup

Name: Tom Kha Gai Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 cups coconut milk; ½ inch ginger, peeled; 2 cloves garlic; 1 lime, juiced; 2 kaffir lime leaves; 6 inch stalk fresh lemongrass (or 2 tbsp dried); ½ jalapeno pepper*, optional; 1 tbsp fish sauce; ¾ lb shrimp and/or chicken, chopped; 2 cup (bone) broth; 1 tbsp coconut aminos*; 1 tbsp honey; 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced; 3 green onions, chopped; 1 cup zucchini, carrots, cabbage, bell peppers*, and/or cherry tomatoes*, chopped; ¼ cup cilantro and/or basil, fresh, chopped

April 18, 2022 Andrea Wyckoff

This Tom Kha Gai Soup is wonderful on a cold winter day (or any day, really!). I love how versatile this recipe is: it is paleo and GAPS-friendly and with some minor adjustments this recipe can accommodate just about any diet. Feel free to use my Homemade Coconut Milk in this recipe.

SCD: omit coconut aminos.
AIP & Nightshade-Free: omit peppers/tomatoes.
Vegan: use coconut sugar in place of honey, omit the meat, and omit fish sauce.
Starch-Free: substitute fresh ginger with ginger extract.

First Blend Together:

coconut milk		2 cups
ginger, peeled		½ inch
garlic		2 cloves
lime, juiced		1
kaffir lime leaves		2
fresh lemongrass (or 2 tbsp dried)		6 inch stalk
jalapeno pepper*, optional		½
fish sauce		1 tbsp

Next, Add In:

shrimp and/or chicken, chopped		¾ lb
(bone) broth		2 cup
coconut aminos*		1 tbsp
honey		1 tbsp
button mushrooms, sliced		1 cup
green onions, chopped		3
zucchini, carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, and/or cherry tomatoes, chopped		1 cup
cilantro and/or basil, fresh, chopped		¼ cup

Directions:

Blend the first group of ingredients in a high-speed blender. Strain through a nylon nut milk bag or sieve, to remove the fibrous lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and ginger while making a flavorful broth. (If you don’t have a blender, you can simmer the soup as is, just crush up lemongrass and kefir leaves, simmer in soup, and remove before serving.)
Pour strained soup into a saucepan, and heat over medium heat. If adding in raw chicken or shrimp, add it now, and cook an additional 10 minutes.
Add mushrooms and sliced green onions to the soup. Also add in broth, any additional veggies, and ½ of the fresh herbs.
Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
Pour into soup bowls and garnish with remaining fresh herbs.