Tom Kha Gai ranked 9th in TasteAtlas’s Best Rated Soups in the World
Food guide website TasteAtlas ranked the traditional Thai dish Tom Kha Gai, or coconut chicken soup with galangal, ninth in the 100 Best Rated Soups in the World. The well-known Tom Yum soup came in at 16th.
The list was compiled based on votes from foodies around the world and published on the TasteAtlas website on March 30. Tom Kha Gai scored an impressive 4.7 out of 5, earning it a place in the top 10.
TasteAtlas made known that Tom Kha Gai is a national dish of Thailand that originated in the northern part of the country and was influenced by Laotian cuisine. However, the true origin of the dish remains unclear, and many Thais regard it as a traditional dish of the central region.
Some online sources suggest that Tom Kha Gai is a variation of Tom Yum, which is believed to have been influenced by Chinese cuisine. The dish is also included in 16th place with a score of 4.5.
Tom Kha Gai offers a sour and spicy taste similar to the popular Thai dish Tom Yum, but what makes this dish different is the coconut milk which gives it a unique sweetness and creaminess. The main ingredients of the dish are chicken, mushroom, coconut milk, galangal, chilly, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.
The top-ranked soup on the list was Tonkotsu Ramen from Japan, which scored a perfect 4.7. TasteAtlas praised the dish’s rich soup that pairs well with fresh noodles, soft-yolk eggs, and tender pork belly. Two other Japanese ramen styles also made it into the top 10 at seventh and eighth place. Check the full list HERE.
This is not the first time that Thai cuisine has been recognized by TasteAtlas. Last year, the northern Thai dish, Khao Soi, which is a coconut curry noodle soup, was ranked 50th on the 100 Best Rated Soups in the World list. Thai tea, an orange milk tea, was also ranked seventh in the 100 Best Rated Non-alcoholic Beverages of TasteAtlas this year.
However, not all Thai soups fared well on the list. The Thai sour and spicy fish soup called Kaeng Som was named the 12th worst soup in the world on the TasteAtlas website.
