I cannot get enough of big, classic South Asian flavor combinations, especially those that build on coconut, citrus and chile. So when a local pie-baking contest came up, with a category for most creative, I set to work on  pulling together a new dessert that capitalized on the rich, layered flavor combinations of my favorite Thai soup, tom kha gai.

The end result: a butter-enriched coconut chess pie infused with lime, ginger and jalapeño.  While not a winner according to the judges, my willing tasters over the weeks preceding the contest seemed to think my tom kha pie was pretty good.