Tasty and Aromatic Thai Soup with "slideo"

[ThermomixBlogger]

This is my all time favourite soup!

I've been working to adapt the recipe for Thermomix since the first day Bimby was in my kitchen. It is such a rewarding soup to make because everybody loves it. Finally, the recipe is ready!

(more recipe notes and video/slideo available on the blog at:
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2009/3057/thermomix-tom-ka-gai-soup.html)

Tom Ka Gai Soup (a classic Thai recipe adapted for Thermomix)

Ingredients

1000 g.  chicken broth (home-made is best, but store-bought will do)
If you don’t have enough stock on hand, just make up the difference with water.
400 g. coconut milk
4 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless is my preference)
4-5 medium mushrooms
1 piece lemon grass
1 thumb-sized piece Galanga
small handful dried chili peppers
small handful Kefir lime leaves
1 tablespoon garlic-chili paste
1 lime (use lemon or bottled lime juice if fresh lime is not available to you)
fresh cilantro

Method

- Cut and crush seasonings (slice lemon grass and Galanga, crush peppers and lime leaves) as seen in video, to break up fibers and release flavours.
- Put chicken stock and coconut milk into Thermomix bowl.
- Add prepared seasonings to the liquid, with garlic-chili paste.
- Cook for 5 minutes at 100° C on REVERSE speed 2 to begin infusion of flavours. Meanwhile, prepare chicken by cutting into smaller pieces.
- Place basket into Thermomix bowl full of liquid.
- Add chicken pieces to the bowl.
- Cook 10 minutes at 90° C on REVERSE speed 2
- Add chopped mushrooms.
- Again, cook 10 minutes at 90° C on REVERSE speed 2
- Garnish and serve! (Tastes great by itself or with rice.)

Hope you like it!
Cheers,
TMB

Members' comments
Tebasile - The soup was delicious with vegetable broth and tofu Helene. Thank you.

CarolineW -  it was delicious.  Thanks for sharing.

[Thermomixer]

Wonderful - if you like Asian dishes, then there is a new blog based in malaysia - they have TMX is MAlaysia now.  Will need to find address.

Tom Kha Gai and Tom Yum are my favs - we have a kaffir lime tree in the front garden so that part's easy 

[ThermomixBlogger]

Ha - lucky you Thermomixer, with a lime tree in your backyard! Best I can do in that department is a CEDAR.    So unfruitful and so... uh... unromantic

I have to confess I've not had Tom Yum soup. After tasting Tom Ka Gai, I never wanted to try anything else... I'm not big on 'change' but I sure knows what I likes!

Cheers,
TMB

[Nay-nay]

Great soup!! Will have to file for winter time - was 35^oC here today and even though I can just about smell your yummy soup through the screen the family might think i've gone a little 'loopey' if I serve this up tonight!! 

[ThermomixBlogger]

Will have to file for winter time - was 35^oC here today and even though I can just about smell your yummy soup through the screen the family might think i've gone a little 'loopey' if I serve this up tonight!! 

Yes Nay-nay... I get it about the... uh... seasonal differences between our countries. I thought about that when I posted but hey (!) I started the process of adapting this recipe for TM when I first got the machine and that was back in our summertime, three months ago now! Took me forEVER to get it off my "to do" list, so I wasn't about to forgo blabbing about it out loud to the only people in the world who really care.    I'm glad to have finally got the process figured out so at least I, and the handful of North Americans on this forum can make the most of it. 

I can't believe the heat you are having. We get that kind of heat here maybe one or two days a year. It's chilly now, and the frost lies like lace on the ground in the mornings, so it's really hard to think about all you Aussies eating nothing but Sorbet as you relax by your swimming pools and dig your toes into sandy beaches.

Waaaaaaaaaaa  I want summer tooo!!!!!!   

[Katya]

  I'm glad to have finally got the process figured out so at least I, and the handful of North Americans on this forum can make the most of it. 

Don't forget the Europeans are here too and are not exactly sweltering either.....

[ThermomixBlogger]

Don't forget the Europeans are here too and are not exactly sweltering either.....

Mea Culpa Katya!!! 
Please do forgive me! How could I forget about the Europeans?!?  (maybe it is because you are asleep when I am awake? And I am sleeping when the Aussies are awake and, and, and...

Here is my question though: How available is the Galanga in European food stores and markets. Here it is not easy to get, but possible if you try hard. Once you know one supplier, you are set... but it can take a while to find. This is such a key ingredient.. how available is it word-wide? I know it's easy for the Aussies, as they are more 'oriented' to Thailand than we are here on the west coast of Canada. I'd love to hear other people's experiences with the availability of this ingredient.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Don't worry - some of the more Southern Australians (I should just say Tasmanians) aren't sweltering either. It will still be a couple of months before I am whipping up sorbets to cool us down. 

[CarolineW]

Well, that kind of takes me to my question    Can I replace Galangal with anything?  I'm sure it's possible to get here (UK) eventually if I try hard enough, but it'll take a while.

[Katya]

Is dried galangal ok?  I can get that at our local Asian supermarket.

 If it is OK, then I can certainly get some for you CarolineW and post it on.  It won't weigh very much!

[CarolineW]

Thanks, Katya!!  Oooh, you have a local Asian supermarket, how fantastic (where is the 'green with envy' icon  )

I'm dropping you a PM now.

[ThermomixBlogger]

Is dried galangal ok?  I can get that at our local Asian supermarket.

Not sure about this... I bought some dried galangal but have not had the courage to use it. 

The thought of making Tom Ka Gai and having it turn out less than amazing prevents me from experimenting with the dried version... but perhaps under pressure of "truth-seeking Thermomixing Forumites" I will have to give it a test. I promise to report back if it do.

First time I tried this recipe I searched through our little Chinatown area and went into all sorts of shops that I wouldn't go into otherwise. I just needed to say one word "Galanga" and I would either get shake of the head, or a nod and a pointed finger sending me down a dark aisle.

Best thing I found in Chinatown were little packages in the freezer section that appear to come from Asia. Then, by some crazy fluke, I saw some in a fresh produce market here. I can tell you, the site of it stopped me in my tracks. Fresh, fresh, FRESH it was. The clerk couldn't tell me where it came from, but it was so fresh that I think it must be grown locally to supply Thai restaurants in the area. No idea... But I suggest you keep asking around. If it is available where you live, someone will know!

Cheers,
TMB

[Tebasile]

Yummy Helene, I juiced 64 limes today  . I'm going to use tofu instead chicken 

[ThermomixBlogger]

Yummy Helene, I juiced 64 limes today  . I'm going to use tofu instead chicken 

Wow! What ELSE are you doing with all those limes?

Tofu instead of chicken sounds great! Do you have veggie stock? A flavoured stock would be a good idea I think, to make up for less chicken flavour.

Good to hear from another Canadian!

Cheers to you Tebasile,
TMB

[Thermomixer]

CarolineW - ginger will give a near enough approximation of galanga.  Not quite the same - but nearly.  Hard to describe the diffeerence - maybe more medicinal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galangal

You know when people have used the proper stuff, it is distinctive