Page 25 - ALG Issue 1 2020

Tom Kha
Fragrant coconut, lemongrass and galangal soup
All recipes are taken from Erin’s book “The Veg Table” available at www. naturalcookeryschool. com/.
Last summer I bought a lemongrass plant and have been harvesting from it this autumn. I have brought it in for the winter and hope that next year we will enjoy even more. Recently, a lady at one of my classes said she had an indoor kaffir lime tree – great to know you
can grow these exotic plants in the UK. The leaves are beautifully fragrant and add a wonderful flavour to this soup. If you don’t have a lime tree, they can be purchased frozen at Asian markets and then you always have them on hand.
This is my go-to soup when I start feeling under the weather. The heat of the chillies, the fragrant lemongrass and galangal, and the creaminess
of coconut are just perfect. The soup keeps well for about three days. It can be made any time of year, just swap the veg for what is in season.
Serves 4-6
This is my go-to soup when I start feeling under the weather
For the broth
400ml coconut milk
800ml water
3 lemongrass stalks, bashed with the
bottom of a knife or a rolling pin to
release flavour
5cm (2 inches) galangal, thinly sliced 3 shallots, sliced
For the soup
100g shiitake or brown mushrooms, thinly sliced, stems removed if using shiitakes
1⁄2 small winter cabbage or 100g Brussels sprouts, sliced into small strips
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn to release their flavour
1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar Pinch of salt, to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce or 1/2 tbsp tamari for
gluten free
juice of 1⁄2 lime, more to taste
25g fresh coriander, roughly chopped;
reserve some to garnish
Garnishes
2 Thai chillies, thinly sliced, more if you like it hotter
2 spring onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
reserved coriander leaves
To make the broth, put the coconut milk and water into a large saucepan or wok and add the water. Heat until boiling. Add the lemongrass, galangal and shallot and simmer for at least
15 minutes, or 30 minutes if you have time. Pass the broth through a sieve to remove any chunks, pressing gently to extract as much flavour as possible. Return the broth to the saucepan.
To the broth, add the mushrooms, cabbage, carrot and lime leaves and continue simmering until cooked, about 10 minutes.
Season with the sugar, salt and soy sauce, add the lime juice and coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, lime juice, sugar, salt or
soy sauce, if needed. Thai food should always have a good balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy. The spicy will come with the addition of the chillies.
To serve, ladle the broth into bowls and garnish with the chillies, spring onions and reserved coriander.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 25