Tom Kha Gai Butternut Squash

Tom kha gai is a broth- and coconut milk-based soup whose primary flavors are ginger (or galangal), lemongrass, and chili. It’s Thailand’s national dish and is believed to have originated in the northern part of the country with influence from neighboring Laos.
On its own, this soup has TONS of flavor. But the addition of butternut squash makes it even more creamy and luxurious and perfect for slurping down while hunkered down inside during harsh winter weather. Trust me, this is practically all we did last week. Wake up, stay in jammies, hot cocoa, soup, back to bed. And it, was, wonderful.
I highly recommend you do the same. Enjoy!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small butternut squash (skin and seeds removed & cubed)
  • 1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
  • 4 cups low-sodium veggie broth (DIYor store-bought)
  • 1 small shallot (thinly sliced)
  • 1 small knob fresh ginger (grated // 1 knob yields ~ 3 Tbsp)
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (cut into 6-inch pieces for easy removal before serving)*
  • 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
  • 1/2 medium Thai chili or serrano pepper (thinly sliced, seeds mostly removed)
  • For serving: lime (quartered), fresh chopped cilantro and basil for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees (204 C). Add butternut squash to a baking sheet and toss with 2 Tbsp olive or coconut oil and a bit of sea salt. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • In the meantime, add coconut milk, vegetable broth, ginger, lemongrass, and shallot to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer. Add fish sauce (optional) and sliced pepper and stir.
  • Add butternut squash to a food processor or blender with 1 cup of the broth and puree until smooth (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Add back into the soup and stir until well combined. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added more ginger and a pinch more salt at this point.
  • Before serving, discard lemongrass (if you used fresh stalks – otherwise ignore this instruction). Garnish with fresh lime juice (HIGHLY recommended), fresh basil and cilantro.
  • This would be lovely over rice or on its own. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for several days. Freeze for longer term storage.

Notes

* If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, sub 1 heaping Tbsp lemongrass paste (found in the herb section) for the 2 stalks lemongrass.
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Recipe by Minimalist Baker

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