Tom Kha is a classic Thai soup that’s a flavour explosion in a bowl. Translating roughly to “boiled galangal,” this soup traditionally combines coconut milk, galangal (a zingier cousin of ginger), lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves to create an incredibly aromatic base. My version simplifies the authentic recipe while preserving its soul – creamy, tangy, and warming, with prawns adding a luxurious protein punch.
Instead of lengthy prep, I’ve streamlined the process. Rice noodles cook in minutes, while pre-prepped ingredients like jarred galangal mean you can have this restaurant-quality soup on the table in under 15 minutes. The result? A bowl that balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes – a testament to the brilliance of Thai cuisine, made accessible for busy home cooks.
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The Ingredients
- Coconut milk – use a full fat coconut milk for the creaminess and flavour you will want in this dish.
- Vegetable stock – or water and a good vegetable stock cube.
- Galangal – I use a jar of pre-chopped galangal. There are a couple of reasons for this – firstly, galangal is quite tricky to get hold of in my local area and secondly, a jar makes this dish SO easy to prepare. You can use fresh if you want to.
- Lemongrass – use fresh lemongrass. Lightly bruise it with a knife – no need to chop – to get the flavour you need.
- Chilli – I tend to use less chilli because I am cooking for a toddler too! You can add more if you prefer spicier food.
- Kaffir like leaves – you’ll just add them whole to the soup, no need to chop.
- Fish sauce – for that undeniable savoury kick.
- Raw prawns – you can use either fresh or frozen prawns, but make sure that they are raw for best results.
- Lime – the juice of one lime, freshly squeezed, will bring you the best results.
- Basil and mint – fresh herbs are a requirement for this soup – they bring so much brightness to the dish. You could also add some fresh coriander.
- Rice noodles – you can use either fresh or dried. Simply add to the soup and cook for long enough for the noodles to reach a delicious al dente texture.
Quick and Easy Tom Kha Soup
Ingredients
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons jar of galangal
- 2 sticks lemongrass
- 1 red chilli
- 6 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 250 grams raw prawns
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 300 grams fresh rice noodles
Instructions
- Pour the vegetable stock and coconut milk into a large saucepan and put to simmer on a medium heat.
- Add the finely sliced galangal, bruised lemongrass (bash it with the flat side of a knife), 3 of the sliced red chillies, the kaffir lime leaves, prawns, fish sauce and lime juice.
- Bring to a simmer and heat for about 6-7 minutes, until the prawns have cooked through.
- Add the noodles and chopped herbs, and simmer for a further minute.
Video
If you love Thai flavours, you’ll also enjoy these recipes:
- Thai Coconut Mussels
- Vegetarian Pad Thai
- Thai Fish Curry
- Thai Noodle Soup
- Super Easy Pad Thai
- Asparagus and Tofu Vegan Pad Thai
A warming, quick and delicious dinner – please do leave a comment if you enjoyed it!