Creamy Peanut Broth Recipe
Hangin' around Thai Town in LA, I picked up a knack for whippin' up Thai grub, inspired by an accidental peanut butter addiction while makin' Tom Kha Gai. That first night was a flavor flashback, but I wasn't gonna give up on my peanut-crazy soup.
I ventured deep into the mystery of the soup's odd taste, methodically crossin' out ingredients to pin down the culprit. Through trial and error, I found the perfect balance for my non-traditional Tom Kha. Tried it with water and chicken broth, but water definitely made it cleaner taste-wise.
One Saturday night, I hosted Thai pals for dinner, servin' up my concoction. They loved it! One even said folks who didn't know any better would think it was authentic Thai soup. No lie, hearin' that felt pretty darn good.
Yield: 8 servingsDifficulty: Easy peasyTotal: 35 minutesActive: 20 minutes
Ingredients (18)* 2 C. Jasmine Rice* 4 C. fresh water* 2-4 T. peanut oil* 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced* 3-7 fresh Bird's eye chili's, bruised* 2 chicken breast, boned & skinned, cut to bite size pieces* 1 shallot, minced* 1⁄2 C. white wine* 6 holy basil, leaves* 3 C. fresh water* 2 T. fish Sauce* 3 kaffir lime leaves, bruised* 2-3″ pieces lemongrass, bruised and sliced diagonally* 7-10 peppercorns* 2 C. peanut butter, creamy* 1 1⁄2 C. Coconut milk* 1 Lime, juiced* Coriander for garnish
Instructions1. Get a pot a-boilin' with 4 C. water. Once it's boilin', chuck in the rice, cover, and dial back the heat to low for 15 minutes. Shut off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. Fork it up when it's done.2. While that's happenin', heat up a wok on a burner over high heat. Once the wok's smokin', pour in the peanut oil. Just remember, keep your face far from that stovetop! Add garlic and chilies, stir until they're all aromatic, about 30 seconds.3. Toss in the chicken and shallot, cookin' for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and basil, let it reduce by half while you stir.4. Add water, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and peppercorns, bring to a boil. Then add peanut butter, stir until it's all blendy, simmer for 15 minutes.5. Serve the soup over the steamed rice, splash with lime juice, and decorate with coriander. Enjoy!
Sthrough analysis, we discovered that peanut butter isn't an original ingredient in Tom Kha Gai, as it's traditionally made with lemongrass, galangal, chilies, and coconut milk. However, this unconventional approach can contribute a unique, rich, and nuanced flavor profile that this soup craves. No need to stick to the book when you're cookin' up something new and delish!
- Marking this recipe as 'Thai Peanut soup', we deviate from traditional Tom Kha Gai by adding unconventional ingredients like peanut butter, aiming for a unique flavor profile and reducing the additional need for uncategorized nutrition labels.
- The soup, having a rich and nuanced taste, consists of 18 ingredients, such as jasmine rice, chicken, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, and fresh bird's eye chilies, and is best served over steamed rice, garnished with coriander.
- With a yield of 8 servings and a preparation difficulty of 'Easy peasy', this soup, once cooked, can be an excellent addition to your homemade, nutritious recipes.
- Accidentally discovering the secret to a peanut-flavored soup in LA's Thai Town, I've managed to uncover the original Tom Kha's mysterious taste and, through experimentation, created my own non-traditional version that's received rave reviews from Thai pals.
