1. Lemon Grass: Make some indentation in the lemon grass stalk with the help of a kitchen knife and than chop the lemon grass. The indentations helps infuse more flavor into the stock. You can also smash the lemon grass stalk with the back of a knife and than chop it.
2. Galangal: This zingy, peppery, floral and extremely aromatic root may look like ginger but it's very different. It tastes, smells and flavors up the food differently. There's no appropriate & exact sub for galangal, however, you can replace it with ginger. The Tom Kha Gai soup will still be delicious but not authentic. Peel & than slice.
3. Lime Leaves: You can sub the leaves with the zest from 1 whole lime.
4. Cilantro Stalks: The maximum flavor of the herb lies in its stalks. Use them to make the stock. Keep aside the leaves to add them later into the soup as a garnish.
5. Chili Oil: Fried Chili in oil is readily available in almost all American grocery stores (check in the Asian Aisle). Use it if you can, it totally face-lifts the soup. Try to scoop out the oil floating on top of the jar and add it to the soup.
6. Chili Oil Sub: You can use about ½ tbsp red thai curry paste instead of the chili oil. Add the curry paste while adding the mushrooms. This will add a whole new dimension to the soup. However, do not expect it to be an authentic version. This is something that we love but it's no way authentic.
7. When to add the Lime Juice? Add the lime juice always after turning of the Instant Pot and allowing the soup to rest for at least 5 mins. If you simmer the soup after adding the lime juice the soup will turn bitter and the coconut milk might curdle. Double check so that your Instant Pot is turned off and the soup is not simmering or bubbling anymore.
8. Tom Kha Gai consistency: This Thai coconut soup with chicken is meant to be eaten soupy or brothy. It's meant to have a thin consistency.
9. Storing Tips: The Thai Coconut Chicken soup will last for 5 days in the fridge when store in an air tight container. The mushrooms will shrink and cook down more once you re-heat the soup.
10. Can you freeze Tom Kha Gai Soup? No this soup is not freezable. It tastes fabulous every time you make it fresh and from scratch.
11. For mild sweetness: Add 1 tablespoons sugar after adding the coconut milk. Do not use more sugar as coconut milk is mildly sweet naturally. We skipped using any sugar in today's recipe. We love the soup spicy and savory.

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