Tom Ka Gai soup

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock

1 to 2 chicken breasts, sliced

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms or regular mushrooms

1 yellow onion sliced into football shapes or cut longwise 

1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated

1/2 to 1 (13 1/2 oz) can good quality coconut milk

1 Tbsp fish sauce, or more to taste

Zucchini & cherries (optional)

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp brown sugar, or to taste (optional)

Handful fresh basil leaves

3 spring onions, sliced

Serve over noodles or white rice

Can get Lee Lee’s market on the Thai aisle or frozen section

Fish sauce:

3 Tbsp red curry paste Thai Isle

1 stalk lemongrass cut into 1/4in pieces or in jar (frozen)

4 lime leaves, (fresh or frozen)

1 to 3 fresh red chilies, minced to taste

1 clove garlic smashed

1 Tbsp tamarind pulp galangal in a jar in Thai aisle

Directions:

Gather ingredients

Slice and mince the lower portion of the lemongrass stalk. Retain the upper stalk for the soup pot.

Place chicken broth in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. If you have leftover chicken or turkey bones, add those too. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and mushrooms. Then add the prepared lemongrass-including the upper stalk pieces, the market lime leaves, and fresh chilies.

Boil 5-8min or until the chicken is cooked. Reduce heat down to medium.

Add galangal or ginger, 1/2 can of the coconut milk, the fish sauce, and extra vegetables (if using). Stir well and simmer gently for 1-2min. Reduce heat to low. Add the lime juice and stir. 

Do a taste test. Look for balance between spicy, sour, and sweet flavors. Start with saltiness, adding more fishsfauce if the soup is not salty or flavorful enough, 1 Tbsp at a time. If it’s too sour add brown sugar. If the soup is too spicy or if you’d like it creamier, add more coconut milk. If it’s not spicy enough, add more chilies.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle a little fresh coriander, basil, and spring onions over each bowl.

Submitted by: Sonia Carroll