In the late 19th century, tom kha was not a soup. It was a dish of chicken or duck simmered in a light coconut broth with a generous amount of galangal. It was then served with a basic roasted chili jam as a dipping relish. Since the dish is very popular, there are also other versions of the soup - vegetarian, tofu, seafood, and pork tom kha are just some of its varieties. It is traditionally served with rice on the side, garnished with coriander leaves and diced tomatoes.