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 Kha versus Tom Yum

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).

Tom Kha often calls for more galangal or ginger flavor than lemongrass, where Tom Yum tends to be more lemongrass than galangal. Tom Kha also often comes with more mushrooms, which add umami, and fewer other vegetables since adding too many can dilute the sweetness.

To make a full meal out of this, I recommend serving the tom kha gai with jasmine rice, green papaya salad, and makheua yao pad tao jiao (stir-fried eggplant).

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.

Tom Kha soup is perfect if you have blood sugar problems or want to lose weight. It is low in carbohydrates and yet very satisfying. Due to its high healthy fats and protein content, you will not be hungry for many hours after eating it. Not snacking between meals is one of the best ways to encourage weight loss.

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'.

Tom Ka Gai or Tom Yam: Thai Coconut Soup

This soup is a great choice if you are feeling unwell.

What does tom yam mean in Thai? ›

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. As a staple Thai dish, this famous Tom Yum Goong is served in Thai Square.

Kai yang or gai yang (Thai: ไก่ย่าง, pronounced [kàj jâːŋ], lit. 'grilled chicken'), also known as kai ping or gai ping (Thai: ไก่ปิ้ง), or pīng kai (Lao: ປີ້ງໄກ່, [pîŋ kāj]), is a Lao dish originating in Laos, but it is now commonly eaten throughout the whole of Thailand.

This creamy, sweet and sour soup is a traditional Thai comfort food.

Traditional Thai cuisine is quite healthy and largely based on vegetables, lean proteins, and fresh herbs and spices. Certain Thai dishes are high in refined carbs and may contain deep-fried foods, added sugar, or high amounts of salt.

Low in calories: Tom Kha Gai soup is generally low in calories, especially if you opt for a broth-based version instead of a coconut milk-based version. A cup of Tom Kha Gai soup contains around 150-200 calories, which can be a satisfying and nourishing meal without exceeding your daily calorie intake.

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).

Tom Kha Gai is a surprisingly simple soup to make with all of the Thai flavors - a base of creamy coconut milk infused with lime, savory fish sauce galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, then tender pieces of chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes are added to make this soup really hearty.

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.

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).