Thai Coconut Dumpling Soup with Lime and Galangal (Tom Kha-Style)

About This Recipe

This soup borrows the aromatic backbone of tom kha gai -- coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, and a sour-salty finish of lime and fish sauce -- and pairs it with simple pork dumplings instead of sliced chicken, an adaptation more common in home kitchens looking to stretch the broth into a heartier one-bowl meal. The broth itself stays true to tradition: galangal and lemongrass are bruised and simmered to release their oils, never blended in, since the aromatics are meant to be fished out or left whole for flavor rather than eaten. The technique that matters is balancing the coconut milk's richness against the broth's sourness -- too much lime and it curdles the coconut milk, too little and the soup tastes flat and heavy. Adding lime juice off the heat, right before serving, keeps the broth from splitting and preserves its bright top note. Served hot with a scattering of cilantro and extra chile, this soup sits between Thai and Chinese traditions: the aromatics are unmistakably Thai, the dumpling format leans toward home-style Chinese-Thai cooking common in Bangkok's mixed culinary neighborhoods.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gground pork
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 2spring onions(finely chopped)
• 24dumpling wrappers
• 2 canscoconut milk(400ml each)
• 2 cupschicken stock
• 3 stalkslemongrass(bruised, cut into 3-inch pieces)
• 5 slicesgalangal(or ginger)
• 6makrut lime leaves(torn)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 3 tbsplime juice(added off heat)
• 2red chiles(sliced)
• 0.25 cupcilantro(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dumplings

   Mix pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, and spring onions. Place a teaspoon of filling in each wrapper, wet the edges, and fold into small pleated dumplings.

2. 2

   Build the broth

   In a pot, combine coconut milk, stock, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, not a hard boil, for 10 minutes to infuse.

3. 3

   Cook the dumplings

   Add dumplings to the simmering broth and cook 6-8 minutes until they float and the pork is cooked through.

4. 4

   Season

   Stir in fish sauce. Taste the broth -- it should be rich and fragrant but not yet sour.

5. 5

   Finish off the heat

   Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and sliced chiles. Adding acid off the heat keeps the coconut milk from splitting.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls, making sure everyone gets dumplings and broth, and garnish with cilantro.

Variations

• •

  Use shrimp dumplings instead of pork for a lighter, seafood-forward version.

• •

  Swap dumplings for sliced chicken breast for a closer version of classic tom kha gai.

• •

  Add sliced mushrooms to the broth for extra texture, common in restaurant versions.

Storage

Store broth and uncooked dumplings separately for up to 2 days; cooked dumplings can turn mushy if left sitting in broth. Reheat broth gently and add fresh-cooked dumplings when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions