How to make the best Tom Kha soup

There are some days when you just want all of the comfort of a steaming bowl of soup but in the summer you don't always want the heaviness or deep flavours. But luckily for you, in comes the best Tom Kha soup recipe that has passed the hubby taste test and offers comfort but a lightness in flavour. Perfect for when you have a summer cold or hangover!

I first discovered Tom Kha soup on my travels around Thailand in 2010 where I fell in love with not only the culture, people, and scenery but also the yummy food. Since then I've worked on perfecting this recipe to offer the taste of Thailand I crave.

The lemongrass, coriander and ginger are delicate and and coconut milk and brown sugar makes it lovely and sweet.  Absolutely perfect for a quick, nutritious, tasty and light tea. Add some prawn crackers on the side and serve it in a large bowl for a lovely, comforting hug in a dish.

It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook and serves between 3 and 4 people.

For the paste

Thumb sized piece ginger, peeled, roughly chopped 
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 stalk lemongrass, bashed to within an inch of its life 
small bunch fresh coriander, leaves chopped,
1-2 shallots, peeled, quartered 
1 medium green chilli, seeds removed, roughly chopped
2 limes, zest only

For the soup

1 tbsp olive oil1 litre/1¾ pint boiling water

1 vegetable stock cube 

400ml/14fl oz coconut milk

3 tbsp fish sauce

handful mushrooms

handful sugar snap peas 

100g/3½oz soba noodles

1-2 limes, juice only, plus more to serve 

salt and freshly ground black pepper

small handful basil leaves

1 chilli, sliced

For the soup, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the paste over a medium heat 

for a few minutes

Stir in the coconut milk and fish sauce (you can leave the fish sauce out if you are a herbivore)

Pour in the boiling water and crumble in the stock cube

Add the mushrooms and sugar snap peas, and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Cook the soba noodles in a large pan of boiling water following pack instructions, then drain.

To serve, add the lime juice to the soup and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Divide the drained noodles between four bowls (or two if you're feeling hungry like us!), and ladle over the soup. Garnish with basil leaves, the coriander leaves, and sliced chilli.

Squeeze over a little more lime juice to taste

It's making me hungry just looking at it.... It's so fragrant but light with that hint of spice that could easily chase away a summer cold or a hangover. Load up the prawn crackers and dip those bad boys in. 

There you have it - taste of Thailand in a bowl without ever leaving your house, although I heartily recommend you do if you get the chance to visit Thailand. 

What's your favourite summer comfort food?