Creamy Coconut Galangal Soup Recipe

Name: Charm Thais Creamy Coconut Galangal Soup Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 6 cups water; 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk; 1.5 cups fresh galangal (or ginger if unavailable), sliced 1/8 inch; 2 units lemongrass stalks, outer layer removed and bruised, cut into 2–3 inch pieces; 6 units kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, torn (or substitute lime zest); 3 units shallots, peeled and halved; 3 units garlic cloves, crushed; 2 units Thai red chilies, sliced (adjust to taste); 10 oz oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn into bite-size pieces; 6 units baby corn, halved lengthwise (optional); 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 3 tbs fish sauce; 3 tbs fresh lime juice; 1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar); 0.5 cup Thai parsley (phak chi kaprao or cilantro), roughly chopped; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional, for garnish); 2 units green onions, thinly sliced (optional, for garnish)

Inspired by Charm Thai

Time35m

Serves4

Coconut galangar soup | Thai Herbs | oyster mushroom | fish sauce | Thai Parsley

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Ingredients

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Broth & Aromatics

6 cups water

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 cups fresh galangal (or ginger if unavailable), sliced 1/8 inch

2 units lemongrass stalks, outer layer removed and bruised, cut into 2–3 inch pieces

6 units kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, torn (or substitute lime zest)

3 units shallots, peeled and halved

3 units garlic cloves, crushed

2 units Thai red chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)

Mushrooms & Vegetables

10 oz oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn into bite-size pieces

6 units baby corn, halved lengthwise (optional)

1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved

Seasoning & Finish

3 tbs Fish sauce

3 tbs Fresh lime juice

1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

1/2 cup Thai parsley (phak chi kaprao or cilantro), roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional, for garnish)

2 units green onions, thinly sliced (optional, for garnish)

Method

Broth & Aromatics

Prepare aromatics

Peel and slice the galangal into 1/8-inch rounds. Bruise the lemongrass with the back of a knife and cut into 2–3 inch pieces. Tear the kaffir lime leaves into a few pieces to release oils. Halve the shallots and crush the garlic.

In a medium-large pot, combine 6 cups water, sliced galangal, bruised lemongrass, torn kaffir lime leaves, halved shallots, crushed garlic, and sliced Thai chilies. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to infuse the broth with aromatics.

After 15 minutes, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Discard the solids and return the strained clear broth to the pot. (If you prefer a chunkier soup, reserve some thin slices of galangal and lemongrass before straining.)

Add 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk to the strained broth and warm over low heat until just simmering — do not boil vigorously to prevent coconut from splitting. Keep warm.

Mushrooms & Vegetables

While the broth is warming, prepare the vegetables: trim and tear oyster mushrooms into bite-size pieces, halve cherry tomatoes, and halve baby corn if using.

Add the oyster mushrooms and baby corn to the warm coconut-galangal broth. Simmer gently for 4–6 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and baby corn is cooked but still slightly crisp.

Add the cherry tomatoes and simmer 1–2 more minutes just to warm and soften them—this keeps them bright and slightly bursting.

Seasoning & Finish

Season the soup by stirring in 3 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon palm (or brown) sugar. Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness, more lime for acidity, or more sugar for balance.

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Taste again and correct seasoning as needed (typical balance is salty-acid-sweet).

Stir in roughly half a cup chopped Thai parsley. Reserve some chopped parsley and cilantro for garnish if desired.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with remaining Thai parsley, cilantro leaves, and thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and extra fish sauce or sliced chilies on the side.