Recipe(tried): Delicious Thai Chicken Soup (TOM KHAA GAI)

Hello Everyone!

Whenever I go out for Thai food, I start my meal with a bowl of tom khaa gai, which is Thai chicken soup. It doesn't look like much - a creamy, pale broth laced with chicken slices, mushrooms and cilantro - but what it lacks in looks, it makes up in flavor. Sweet and sour components balance the richness of lemongrass and lime-infused coconut milk, which, in turn, tempers a slow-building chili burn. No a bad one, mind you, depending on how much serrano chilis you add. So, why run all over town looking for authentic Thai ingredients like galangal, bird's eye chilis, and kaffir lime leaves when a jar of supermarket Thai red curry paste delivers all those flavors in a super concentrated form. Oh yeah, and if you can find CHAOKOH coconut milk, that is the cream of the crop. Stay away from KAME (too sweet). A TASTE OF THAI is good. Ok enough of that, here is the recipe:

THAI-STYLE CHICKEN SOUP
serves 4

1 tsp. vegetable oil
3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3 large shallots, chopped
8 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped coarse
3 Tbsp. fish sauce, divided use
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz. each) coconut milk, well shaken, divided use
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and sliced on the bias into 1/8 inch slices
3 Tbsp. juice from 2-3 limes
2 tsp. Thai red curry paste
GARNISHES:
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, sliced thin
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 serrano chilies, sliced thin

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemongrass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. fish sauce. Cook stirring frequently til just soft, 2-5 minutes. Veggies should not brown.

Stir in broth and 1 can coconut milk, simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour broth thru fine-mesh strainer and discard solids. Rinse pan and return broth to pan. Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir in remaining can of coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and stir in mushrooms, cook til tender about 3 minutes.

Add chicken and cook stirring constantly until no longer pink, 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 Tbsp. fish sauce in small bowl, stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and add desired garnishes. Serve immediately with lime wedges.