Pearl’s Famous Tom Kah Coconut Soup Recipe

Tom Kah Coconut Soup

Tom Kah Coconut Soup

 

This rich tom kah coconut milk soup has been a long-standing favorite of Thai Spices’ patrons for years. It gets its unique rich flavor from quintessential Thai ingredients such as lemon grass, galangal root and kaffir lime leaf. It’s a quick and easy soup to make that’s surprisingly satisfying and delicious.

A Healthier Take on Tom Kah Coconut Soup

This healthy version of a traditional Thai dish is prepared using macrobiotic principles. The vegetables are cooked lightly in water instead of oil and balanced herbs are used. This soup can be made vegan, if you prefer it, by using Bragg’s Liquid Amino as your stock base instead of traditional fish sauce.

Important main Thai ingredients for Tom Kah soup.

Important main Thai ingredients for Tom Kah soup.

Most of the ingredients for Tom Kah coconut soup you can find at your local Asian grocer, a health food store or on Amazon.com.

by Master Chef Pearl Pardee

Ingredients

Half a white onion, sliced wide

2 cans coconut milk (not lite)

1 small size carrot, cut in thick matchsticks

5-6 kaffir lime leaves (sliced thin)

2-3 slices galangal root

2 stalks of fresh lemon grass, cut into 1″ pieces

1/2 of a jalapeno pepper cut into medium pieces (or more if you prefer a hotter soup)

(Optional) other sliced vegetables such as broccoli and button mushrooms, cooked chicken pieces or shrimp

2-3 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Amino seasoning or fish sauce or 1-2 tsp sea salt

Small handful of cilantro sprigs

1 green onion, sliced

2 tsp lemon juice

tom kah coconut soup preparation

Shown: galangal root, lemongrass, white onion, kaffir lime leaves

Preparation

1. In a separate saucepan add coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and lemon grass. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour or so for taste. (when the broth is ready you can keep the herbs in for next step or dispose of the herbs if you desire)

2. In a separate pan saute the onion, carrot pieces in a small amount of water until they begin to soften.

3. When coconut broth is ready, add the sauteed vegetables

4. Then add optional vegetables and meat.

5. Stir in Bragg’s, fish sauce or sea salt and continue cooking 5 or 10 minutes longer until optional items are cooked.

6. Top with cilantro sprigs, green onion and lemon juice and serve.

Enjoy!

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5 Responses to “Pearl’s Famous Tom Kah Coconut Soup Recipe”

  • Paul Maxhimer:

    I love Thai food, it leaves a nice clean taste in your mouth.

  • Kate:

    Thanks so very much for the recipe, Pearl. It is my favorite soup in the world and I have always wanted to make it at home, though I will continue to come to Thai Spices to eat it too.

    Hugs,
    Kate

  • you know I leave the herbs in the soup at the restaurant, its more traditional, so, I added that note in case people want to take it out. so, enjoys!

  • How to Make Coconut Milk:

    Holy crap, thank you so much for posting this! It is gonna be so helpful when I research Coconut Milk at the store! So Magnificent!

  • Sandra:

    This is very close to the recipe I devised after eating this soup in Riverside, CA. The only thing I can’t seem to find are the kaffir lime leaves. Any suggestions? Some recipes have ginger root but it absolutely has to be galanga root.

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  • positive review  Amazing food & service . No wonder they won so many awards

    Anita Srivastava Avatar Anita Srivastava
    December 9, 2021

    positive review  Fast service, pleasant stuff, delicious Thai food. I recommend Thai Spices Natural Restaurant

    Janis D Fawcett Avatar Janis D Fawcett
    September 16, 2021

    positive review  The food was so good!!! The best Thai food ever? will be back..

    DjnSara Jackson Avatar DjnSara Jackson
    July 26, 2021

    positive review  great service and great food

    Michael Nimtz Avatar Michael Nimtz
    July 17, 2021

    negative review  Terrible service and a not so clean restaurant! Do they ever clean or dust?! Right behind my chair were moth eggs on the curtain! Yuck ? completely lost my appetite! Won’t be back!!!

    Kathryn Christman Avatar Kathryn Christman
    April 1, 2021

    positive review  Very , very good food and so fresh. The Miso vegetable soup was superb and the Yum Tom soup was delicious. The Pad Thai with tofu and the coconut pineapple curry were both wonderful and yummy. Highly recommended.‼️

    Marianne B. Miles Avatar Marianne B. Miles
    November 17, 2020

    positive review  Just right full of cabbage than the duck meat.

    Allen Romero Espelita Avatar Allen Romero Espelita
    October 21, 2020

    positive review  Unbelievably delicious!! Especially the coconut soup and fresh spring rolls.

    Susan Burns Schlesinger Avatar Susan Burns Schlesinger
    October 11, 2020
  • positive review  excellent food..my goodness delish

    Dominic Reed Avatar Dominic Reed
    September 22, 2020

    positive review  Traditional Thai food must come here, delicious, clean and hygienic.

    ผู้หญิง ผิวสี เข้ม เข้ม Avatar ผู้หญิง ผิวสี เข้ม เข้ม
    August 18, 2020

    positive review  Best Thai food I’ve ever had. Amazing.

    Jordyn Ballentine Avatar Jordyn Ballentine
    August 7, 2020

    negative review  7/11/20 - we arrived and the greeter/to go order giver was NOT wearing his mask over his mouth and nose. We were seated just a couple feet from another table. It took 8-10 minutes until our waitress even came to our table. We were just getting ready to leave at this point. It took another 5 minutes to get our water and drinks. I ordered the Pad Thai with Shrimp (no green onions). It was cold around the edges and hot in the middle and had onions. Of the 4 meals orders, 2 people didn't eat much. One described her meal as slimey. Also, buried in the menu near the back is a 18% gratuity for parties of FOUR (4) or more. I complained about this but the owner wouldn't even talk about it. This is the worst Thai place that I've ever eaten. It doesn't represent the many restaurants in Sedona.

    KC Bailey Avatar KC Bailey
    July 13, 2020

    positive review  great food I love the pad thai the tea and the soups. yummy

    Jeannie Mimi Soverns Avatar Jeannie Mimi Soverns
    June 27, 2020

    positive review  Excellent food. I recommend.

    Helene Sicherman Avatar Helene Sicherman
    May 8, 2020

    positive review  Food is fantastic as is the service

    Lori Preston Pfadt Avatar Lori Preston Pfadt
    January 26, 2020

    positive review  they deserve a vegan family while we were there and they seemed happy!

    Christian Hall Avatar Christian Hall
    December 21, 2019

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