Thai Fish Soup with Coconut Milk and Lime Recipe
This gently spicy fish soup with coconut milk is a cousin of the famous Tom Kha, but here white fish takes the lead instead of chicken. In Thailand, soups like this often appear at shared family meals – they’re placed in the middle of the table and everyone ladles out a portion. At home it’s perfect as a warming lunch on a cooler day.
This is a homemade variation on Thai Tom Kha where galangal and kaffir lime leaves are replaced with more accessible ginger and regular lime. This keeps the bright citrus‑coconut character while avoiding the need for specialty shopping.
The soup combines warming coconut creaminess with the light, marine character of white fish, so it’s filling yet still fresh and citrusy. The aroma of lemongrass and lime makes its flavor impossible to confuse with European fish soups. It’s an easy way to make an at‑home “almost Tom Kha” without hard‑to‑find ingredients.
Why this version works
- It’s based on vegetable or fish stock, so it has more depth of flavor than versions made with just water.
- Adding the fish only to a gently simmering soup keeps it from drying out and disintegrating into mush.
- Removing the lemongrass and ginger before serving gives you a clean, smooth sip without tough fibers.
Chef's tips
The most common mistake is overcooking the fish – add it when the soup is only gently simmering, and turn off the heat as soon as the flesh is opaque and flakes when touched. Before adding the lemongrass, crush it firmly with the handle of a knife so it releases more aroma. If you’re using large mushrooms, cut them into similar‑sized pieces; otherwise some will end up soft while others stay a bit tough.
How to serve
Serve the soup in large bowls with extra lime, fresh cilantro and sliced chili on the side so everyone can adjust the heat. It’s excellent with jasmine rice or thin rice noodles added directly to each bowl. This makes a great lunch or dinner on cold days, or a lighter option after a heavier weekend of eating.
Watch out for
- Don’t let the coconut milk come to a rolling boil, as it can curdle and split.
- Don’t stir the soup vigorously once the fish is in – the pieces will quickly turn into a paste.
- Add chili gradually, because the heat increases noticeably after a few minutes of cooking.
Substitutions
- You can replace the white fish with salmon, shortening the cooking time by 1–2 minutes.
- Swap button mushrooms for oyster or shimeji mushrooms if you can find them, for a more distinctly Asian character.
- For a pesco‑vegetarian version, replace fish sauce with light soy sauce plus a pinch of salt.
Ingredients
- white fish fillet (e.g. cod, pollock) - 400 g
- coconut milk kokosowe z puszki - 400 ml
- vegetable or fish stock - 600 ml
- lemongrass - 1 stalk
- fresh ginger - 3 slices
- button mushrooms or oyster mushrooms - 150 g
- bell pepper czerwona - 1 piece
- fish sauce rybny - 2 tablespoons
- lime juice - 3 tablespoons
- sugar trzcinowy - 1 teaspoon
- red chili pepper - 1 piece
- fresh coriander - 3 tablespoons
Preparation
- Prepare the ingredients: cut the fish into larger pieces (about 3–4 cm), slice the mushrooms, cut the bell pepper into thin strips and the chili into rings. Firmly crush the lemongrass with the handle of a knife and slice the ginger into thicker pieces so they’re easy to remove later.
- Pour the stock into a pot and add the crushed lemongrass and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes so the stock absorbs the aroma.
- Add the coconut milk to the pot, stir and bring back to a gentle simmer.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and bell pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables soften but are still slightly firm.
- Add the fish sauce, sugar and chili slices. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Gently place the pieces of fish into the soup. Simmer over low heat for 4–5 minutes, until the fish turns white and flakes easily when touched with a spoon.
- Turn off the heat and remove any visible pieces of lemongrass and ginger from the soup.
- Add the lime juice and gently stir. Taste the soup and, if needed, season with more fish sauce (saltiness) or lime juice (acidity).
- Serve the soup hot, sprinkled with fresh coriander. You can serve it with a bowl of jasmine rice on the side so everyone can add some to their bowl.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I usually cook this soup when I spot a nice cod fillet on sale during the week – I almost always have the rest of the ingredients in the pantry. In winter I pour it into a thermos and take it to work instead of a classic lunch box meal.
