I loooooove tom kha.
A classic in Thai cuisine, it features a rich coconut milk broth, layered with the trademark aromatic citrus notes of Kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass followed by the warm zing of galangal and chile pepper. A visit to a Thai restaurant does not seem complete to me without a cup of this wondrous soup, both comforting and invigorating, sweet and savory, light and luxurious, all at the same time. But alas, while vegetarian tom kha is a staple on menus, a vegan one can be harder to find, often due to the use of fish sauce. And sometimes, even when it's vegan, it isn't gluten free because of soy sauce. [cue sigh in synch with crossing of arms] But rather than let that stand in my way and inspire an unsatisfied pout, it serves as wonderful motivation for me to create my own take on this classic.