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.