Mock Thom - Thom Ka - Fire Soup - Coconut Thai Soup

Thom Kha is a phenomenal Thai soup flavored with coconut, galangel, kaffir lime leaves and sometimes lemon grass. It usually contains tofu, but I've seen it with chicken and shrimp both. It can be spicy - if you want it to be, and I usually do. My children call it 'fire soup' - because the place in Seattle where we sometimes ordered it served it on a burner.

I can't get most of the ingredients which make the signature flavors in this soup. While I am able to obtain some pretty distinct Asian condiments with which I can replicate some pretty rockin dishes, I can't get the three items that really define Thom Kha. Galengel is similar to fresh ginger, although with it's own distinct flavor. Kaffir leaves are from the Kaffir lime plant, and lemongrass is truly distinct. All three are considered fresh produce, and since all I can do is order things online or make a once-a-month run to the Asian market nearly an hour away - I'm out of luck.

Thai dishes are often named by flavor - so if you can't replicate the flavor, you really don't have the dish. That's why this is Mock Thom. I got as close as I could to Thom Kha, with the ingredients I'm able to obtain. Frankly - it's pretty daggone good. The last few times we've had the real thing - it was no better than this. A little different - yes. But not better.

1 32 oz can chicken broth

2 15 oz cans coconut milk

1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, or dried Chinese black mushrooms

1/4 cup dried Chinese black fungus

1/2 15 oz can straw mushrooms

1 pkg extra firm tofu, diced

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, diced

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 Tbl soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp fish sauce

2 Tbl sesame oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Optional heat ingredients:

• 
  
  
  
  4-5 dried Thai chilis, or
• 
  
  
  
  1/4 tsp cayenne, or
• 
  
  
  
  1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 
  
  
  
  1 Tbl Sriracha hot sauce, or
  or any combination of the above, or none

1. 
   
   
   
   Place dried mushrooms and black fungus in very hot water and allow to soak. Do this first - they need about 20 minutes.
2. 
   
   
   
   In a large Dutch oven, put chicken broth, coconut milk, straw mushrooms, tofu, soy and fish sauces, and lime juice. Bring temperature up to a simmer, then reduce heat. Keep soup at a simmer.
3. 
   
   
   
   If using heat ingredients, add them now.
4. 
   
   
   
   Once mushrooms have softened, drain them well. Add fungus to the soup pot. Slice softened shiitakes, discarding any tough stems.
5. 
   
   
   
   Taste and adjust seasoning if needed - in this case soy and lime. Add cilantro at the last minute. Drizzle each bowl with sesame oil.