WHOLE30 SHRIMP TOM KHA😍

One of my favorite soups on earth, perfect for gloomy days when all you want to do is curl up on the couch with a big ole blanket and your favorite rom com. Always one of the top dishes to order in a Thai restaurant as a kid, and shockingly easy to make at home. And can you believe this was one of the first recipes posted to Rockin Meals?! Clearly a favorite for a reason. Each bite is creamy, zingy, and bursting with flavor, you’ll want to make this over and over again!

Before you Begin:

• There are two ingredients that really make this dish: galangal and kaffir lime leaves. Galangal is a cousin to ginger, and kaffir lime leaves are traditional to Southeast Asia - both are KEY to have the right traditional flavor to this dish.

• They are not common in traditional grocery stores, so you will either need to buy them fresh from your local Asian grocer, or buy them dried on Amazon. You can find the link to the kaffir lime leaves here and the galangal here. If you are buying fresh, you can freeze any excess in a ziplock bag.

• It is incredibly important to simmer all the aromatics for at least 25-30 minutes - you will end up straining out the aromatics, so it’s key to have a long simmer time for those flavors to transfer to the soup.

• The most traditional version of this soup is Tom Kha Gai, which literally translates to Boiled Galangal Chicken. I’ve much preferred using shrimp over the years, but feel free to swap out the protein for whatever works for you - I’ve done this with tofu, chicken, and even just veggies, but shrimp and mushroom is definitely my favorite.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

For the Whole30 Shrimp Tom Kha:

• 10-12 peeled and deveined shrimp

• 1 cup quartered mushrooms (I used cremini)

• 1 can coconut milk (Chaokoh brand highly preferred - it’s much creamier than other brands)

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 lemongrass stalks, cut in 2” pieces and bruised with the back of a knife

• 1 shallot, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, smashed

• 4 slices galangal - about a 3” piece (or sub for ginger)

• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves slightly torn (can substitute for 1 more lime)

• 1 tbsp cilantro stems

• 2-3 thai birds eye chilies

• 2 tbsps Thai red curry paste

• 2 tbsps coconut aminos 

• 2 tbsps Red Boat fish sauce + more to taste

• Juice from 1 lime + more for serving

• Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

For the Shrimp Tom Kha:

• Heat coconut oil in a pot on medium heat.

• Add lemongrass, shallot, garlic, chilies, galangal, kefir lime leaves, cilantro stems, and red curry paste and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the shallot has just softened.

• Pour in the coconut milk, stir, then add in the chicken broth.

• Bring to a boil, then immediately cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 25-30 minutes.

• Remove the aromatics using a slotted spoon.

• Bring to medium heat and add in the mushrooms and shrimp. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is pink and cooked through (frozen shrimp may take closer to 5-6 minutes).

• Shut off heat, add in fish sauce, coconut aminos, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.

• Top with cilantro and more lime juice and serve. Enjoy!