Reviewed: Oct. 24, 2004

One of my new favorites!

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LOLA7272

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Longmont, Colorado, USA

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Reviewed: Sep. 29, 2004

This has become one of my and my husband's favorite recipes. WONDERFUL.

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DANAROBISON

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Reviewed: May 30, 2004

My husband and I loved this soup. I served it over rice and it was very filling. I changed the water to 1 cup chicken broth, omitted the fish sauce and cabbage, added 1 T. lemon juice, and instead of the crushed red pepper used sambal oelek. I didn't have any fresh lemon grass, so I used Gourmet Garden's Lemon Grass blend. FYI Gourmet Gardens sells fresh herbs (lemon grass, garlic, ginger, chili paste) in tubes that are found in the produce department. They make preparation a snap and are a great addition to soups!

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SHASIE

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Reviewed: May 18, 2004

Excellent soup. I doubled the recipe and added a ton of leftover shrimp, scallops, and mussles. I couldn't find lemongrass and I didn't add boch choy - instead I added carrots and chopped tomoatoes. I added 1/3 less water than the recipe called for and added some chili oil to add more heat. Oh and a tiny bit of brown sugar as well. I made alot of substitutions, but it's a great base to experiment with.

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BITTERSWEET3

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Reviewed: Mar. 28, 2004

My dinner party guests raved about this soup, but I only gave it 4 stars because it seems to be missing a key spice. The Tom Ka Gai I've had at three different restaurants is almost tangy and absolutely fabulous, whereas this is just very good. I replaced the bok choy with a can of straw mushrooms and a can of baby corn. Also, I substituted 2 cups of chicken broth for 2 of the cups of water. Please note that lemon grass is not meant to be eaten--it's too fibrous. I left mine in long strands, bruised them thoroughly with the back of a butcher knife, cooked them in the soup and then fished them out before serving it. I made this soup a day ahead, but worried that the coconut milk might break down before we ate it. It didn't and the flavors melded nicely overnight. I will definately make this again but I hope to find out what the key missing ingredient is.

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JAWANDMEE

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Reviewed: Mar. 22, 2004

Excellent & authentic tasting! Exactly what I had been looking for. Thanks!!

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AMBLEN

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Reviewed: Mar. 16, 2004

Good recipe. Could not find lemon grass, and maybe that's why it didn't have the exact taste I was hoping for. Most people really enjoyed it.

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LIZFOLLE

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Reviewed: Feb. 19, 2004

ooooh yum! I skipped the lemon grass for convenience, used curry powder instead of corriander and cumin, and added a few tablespoons of fresh ground chili paste (I like things hot and this stuff comes in handy for alot of asian dishes!) it turned out great, except I wish i had used a bit less fish sauce (too bad I hadn't read the other reviews first)

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RONINKESALI

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Reviewed: Jan. 29, 2004

Excellent! Make sure you peel off the woody outer layers of the lemongrass and chop the soft core very finely. If you're running short or just want to get all the lemongrass flavor you can, leave the outer husks whole but pound them with the rough side of a meat tenderizer or the dull side of a large knife. Remove the husk before serving. Also, throw in a kafir lime leaf and remove before serving.

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cookindonna

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Reviewed: Jan. 21, 2004

Absolutely delicious. I read through all the reviews and used their suggestions. only 1/4 tsp red pepper, 3 Tb fish sauce, added 1/2 lb shrimp, used 2(14 oz) cans coconut milk and 3/4 c. chicken broth (instead of 1 can coconut milk and 4 cups water), cut lemon grass in long strips and removed prior to eating, added rice noodles. My husband can't handle spicy dishes and he said this was perfect. I describe it as "warm". If you like it spicy like me, add more than 1/4 tsp red pepper. Definitely recommend it! My husband who, in general, doesn't like Thai food, said we should have this again. Oh! one more thing...fresh lemon grass is available in almost any asian market.

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TDAWNP

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Hammond, Oregon, USA

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Reviewed: Jan. 18, 2004

This was delicious! I added galanga and crimini mushrooms and 1/2 c. long grain rice.

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michellew

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Reviewed: Nov. 12, 2003

I've only had Tom Yum soup at a Thai restaurant, never had Tom Ka Gai, but I might try it soon based on this recipe! I cooked the ingredients in a different order though--first I simmered the coconut milk & water with the ginger and lemongrass for about 10 minutes to steep the flavors, then strained that and added the chicken and other ingredients and simmered about 20-30 minutes from there. That way I avoided having the tough lemongrass bits in the soup. I had a 14-oz can of coconut milk which I mixed with 6-7 cups chicken broth, and increased the fish sauce to 1 tablespoon per cup of broth (for me, 6 tbsp). I also added the juice from 1/2 lemon, imitation crab meat (adding this makes it taste very different but still good), and mushrooms to the soup. About 3 minutes before serving, I threw in some rice noodles. My boyfriend and I both loved it and I've *never* cooked any Thai soup before!

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Wonder Wanda

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Reviewed: Nov. 5, 2003

This is one of my favourite recipes now. Based on other reviewers' comments I have added galanga to the recipe, and when I can find it fresh Vietnamese Coriander is spectacular, too.

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Jessica from Calgary

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Living In: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Reviewed: Oct. 27, 2003

Yummy! I added bamboo shoots and it was a hit.

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MYPUCK

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Reviewed: Oct. 25, 2003

This was a great soup, I was a looking for something a little different not the same old soup. Not a complaint about it. I really like lemongrass, and it added a great flavor to this meal!!

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SUE.R

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Reviewed: Oct. 24, 2003

So fantastic that I had to write my first review- I have made this so many times these past few months and company always loves it, thinks it is much more complicated. I add a bit more coconut milk/less water and lots of carrots and portobella mushrooms. I definitely recommend a strong smokey mushroom falvor.

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LRKRUG

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Reviewed: Sep. 16, 2003

I love this stuff! I have made it 5 times. One time I made it for a potluck at school and I don't know if I mis-measured the pepper or what but it was too spicy. Only one person could eat more than a small cup. It is always spicy so if you can't take the heat, careful with the pepper. I always add lots of extra bok choy becuase I am trying to get more veggies down. It is simple and yummy!

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SUNNYCO

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Reviewed: May 20, 2003

THIS SOUP IS EXCELLANT. EASY AND SPICEY!

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SUSUMILLER

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Reviewed: Apr. 25, 2003

This recipe was okay. I love Thai food, and this soup could be really good with a few changes in the recipe. First of all, 2 tsp. of crushed red pepper would ruin the dish. I used 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, and the soup was still very spicy. Second, 1/4 cup fish sauce is too much. I used 3 Tbsp. and still found it overwhelming. Third, 10 ounces of coconut milk is not enough. I would recommend reducing the amount of water and using one-and-a-half or two 15-ounce cans of light coconut milk. I did not find the bok choy a necessary ingredient, and instead, I would add rice noodles. With these changes, I will probably make this recipe again.

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