Recently I welcomed Minh Phan into my home kitchen. Phan is the chef at the Thai restaurants in Costa Mesa, Hanuman Thai Eatery on Bristol Street and Hanuman Eatery on Newport Boulevard. He prepared his irresistible coconut milk-based chicken soup, Tom Kha Gai, a rich, savory mix of sour, sweet, and salty notes.
The creamy base is infused with aromatic galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Phan explained that his version is citrusy, with a just-right amount of fresh lime juice to add brightness to the mix. He prefers chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts and uses only the freshest oyster mushrooms.
Often served with steamed jasmine rice, the dish can serve as a starter or main course. To add to the appealing aroma, he serves the soup with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and galangal still adrift. Guests gleefully fish them out, taking in the delicious scent in the process.
Phan grew up in a large Vietnamese American family in Garden Grove. He was one of 11 children and took pleasure in watching his mother, Hien Phan, prepare meals. Her delicious, caramelized pork was a favorite. Peeling and pounding garlic eventually became his job, along with fabricating chickens for parties. He loves spending time with his siblings and told me that his favorite hangout is his cousin Trang’s house where the extended family joyously gathers to eat and watch sports on TV.
During the Covid lockdown, he wanted to learn something new. A friend from his days studying in culinary school at The Art Institute gave him the opportunity to learn about Thai cuisine with some on-the-job training. He had dabbled in preparing a few Thai dishes, but this experience taught him about Thai dishes from the ground up. The spices are often different; there’s no galangal or kaffir leaves in Vietnamese cooking.
Hanuman Thai Eatery has two locations in Costa Mesa: 1835 Newport Blvd. and 355 Bristol St. Suite U.
Favorite Restaurant: Seafood Cove #1 in Westminster—I love the house special, squid stir-fried in butter.
Best Knife: My Kawahiro chef knife with its angled handle and turquoise strip—it was a gift from the kitchen staff for my birthday two years ago.
Yes, A Third Hanuman Eatery: A new one is planned to open fairly soon in Orange close to the Orange Circle.
Drink of Choice: Coke Zero with ice
If Not a Chef: I’d be some kind of aerospace engineer.
Best Advice: Peter Petro, one of my instructors in culinary school, went into detail about cooking fish … a big lightbulb went on in my head.
HANUMAN’S TOM KHA GAI (COCONUT MILK CHICKEN SOUP)
Yield: 2 servings
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 slice galangal
1/2 large shallot, peeled
1 1/2-inch trimmed white portion of fresh lemongrass
3 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms, pulled apart by hand into shreds
8 ounces sliced boned and skinned chicken thighs
1/2 cup coconut milk (shake can vigorously before opening)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, to suit your preference for spice
Garnish: dark green portion of 2 green onions, sliced crosswise
Garnish: several sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1. Start by flavoring the broth. Place broth in large saucepan and turn heat to medium-high; add kaffir lime leaf, galangal, and shallot. Place lemon grass on counter. Turn chef knife cutting side up and use what was the top of the knife to pound lemongrass to partially break it up (see video); add to broth. Bring mixture to a simmer.
2. Shred oyster mushrooms by hand; add to broth. Add chicken and adjust heat to simmer vigorously until chicken is cooked through. Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in lime juice and chili powder (to taste). Pour into serving bowl and garnish with sliced green onion (dark green portion) and chopped cilantro. At the restaurant the bowl is placed on the table resting on a stand with a central flame to keep it warm throughout the meal.
Cathy Thomas is an award-winning food writer and has authored three cookbooks: “50 Best Plants on the Planet,” “Melissa’s Great Book of Produce,” and “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce.” For more than 30 years, she has written about cooking, chefs, and food trends. She was the first newspaper food journalist to pioneer taping how-to culinary videos for the web. cathythomascooks.com
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