Tom Kha Gai in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it

Name: Tom Kha Gai
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400 ml coconut milk, 400 ml stock; 6 slices galangal; 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised; 4 kaffir lime leaves, 2 chillies; 300 g chicken, 100 g mushrooms; 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime, 1 tsp palm sugar, coriander

Quick answer

Tom kha gai is a Thai coconut soup with chicken, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaf, mushroom and chilli, milder and creamier than tom yum. Sweet, sour, savoury and fragrant, it is the gentle coconut counterpart to tom yum's clear heat and a popular UK Thai starter.

Calories and nutrition

Calories: 280
Protein: 20 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fat: 18 g
Salt: 2.6 g

Portion: One bowl, about 400 ml.

Coconut makes it richer than clear tom yum; a lower-fat coconut milk reduces it.

Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.

What it is

Coconut milk is simmered with galangal (kha), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chilli, with chicken and mushrooms, seasoned with fish sauce, lime and a little palm sugar, finished with coriander. Galangal, not ginger, is the defining aromatic. It is creamier and less sharp than tom yum, balancing the coconut richness against lime and chilli. It is comforting rather than bracing.

How to judge it

Fragrant with galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf, creamy but balanced with lime and fish sauce so it is not just sweet coconut, with a gentle chilli warmth. Real galangal (sharper and more piney than ginger) is the mark of authenticity. Leave the whole aromatics.

Tom kha versus tom yum

Both start from the same aromatics; tom kha adds coconut and is milder and creamier, tom yum is clear (or with a chilli paste) and sharper and hotter. If tom yum is too fierce, tom kha is the gentler choice.

Where it is done well in the UK

Thai restaurants using fresh galangal and lime leaf. The list below shows areas with the most Thai restaurants.

How to order it

Order tom kha gai if you want a gentle, creamy Thai soup rather than the sharp heat of tom yum. It should be fragrant with galangal and balanced with lime, not just sweet coconut. Do not eat the whole aromatics.

Where it's done well

UK councils with the most tom kha gai specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.

Restaurants near you

Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve tom kha gai near you.

Make it at home

Serves 4 · 30 min

Ingredients

400 ml coconut milk, 400 ml stock
6 slices galangal
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
4 kaffir lime leaves, 2 chillies
300 g chicken, 100 g mushrooms
3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime, 1 tsp palm sugar, coriander

Method

Simmer the coconut milk and stock with galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves and chilli for ten minutes.
Add the chicken and mushrooms and cook until done.
Off the heat, season with fish sauce, lime and palm sugar to balance; scatter coriander.

Galangal, not ginger, is essential. Season off the heat so the lime stays bright.