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Thai Coconut Soup

Source: Allrecipes
Modified By: Michael D'Attilo

Ingredients
vegetable oil  (for frying, sesame preferred)

~2 tbsp minced ginger
~1 1/2 tsp pickled lemongrass  (or one stalk of minced fresh; or 1 tsp lemongrass paste)
~1 tsp thai chili garlic sauce
1 tsp red curry paste
2 tsp red chili paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
(Can adjust quantities and add shrimp paste, pickled ginger, toasted sesame oil,  etc. to taste)
 
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce

1 lb boneless chicken breast  (or 1lb firm tofu, cut into large cubes)
(Alternatively can use 1lb peeled, deveined medium shrimp)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
3 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced  (Use the best you can get; shiitake> bella > white)
 
1-2 fresh limes, sliced into thin disks  (or 2 tbsp fresh lime juice)
Cilantro, finely chopped
salt to taste
 
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. 
 
Cook the ginger, lemongrass, sauces, and pastes in the heated oil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
 
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually.  Add brown sugar and additional fish sauce.  Simmer for 15 minutes.
 
While soup is simmering, heat 1 tsp minced ginger and garlic in oil or butter and sauté chicken or tofu over medium heat.  Cook until tofu is just slightly crisp or chicken is cooked through. (Note: traditional Thai soups would use 1 lb medium shrimp in lieu of chicken or tofu cooked in this step.)
 
Stir in coconut milk and mushrooms into the soup, and simmer until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes.  Add cooked chicken or tofu, or shrimp, and simmer an additional 5 minutes (if using shrimp, cook until no longer translucent).
 
Serve soup hot, with 1 slice of fresh lime per bowl, and/or a small amount of lime juice.  Season to taste with salt and garnish with chopped cilantro.