Tom Kha Gai Bowl on Bakery Rack

A ceramic bowl filled with creamy coconut broth, tender chicken pieces, and thick slices of pale galangal rests directly on the black wire grid of a bakery cooling rack. Late morning skylight floods the room, bouncing off pale walls to create a soft, even illumination across the steam rising from the hot soup. In the corners, warmer lamplight begins to settle, casting gentle shadows between the metal wires. The soup surface reflects the overhead brightness, highlighting the texture of the galangal and the sheen of coconut milk. Small droplets of condensation rest on the exterior of the bowl, against the dry, industrial grid beneath. at the edge is a single slice of galangal resting against the inner rim, catching the light.