Thai Style Chicken Soup

Also Know as Tom Ka Gai or something like that. It's my favorite Thai soup. And one I generally only order in the winter time. It's not exactly low cal - but can be.

It also doesn't warm up well at all. I highly recommend eating it all in one sitting. The coconut milk and chicken broth tends to separate when cooled. Then when warming it up, it doesn't really ever join back together for a creamy goodness it once was.

I cut this recipe in half for myself.

THAI STYLE CHICKEN SOUP
Serves: 6

• 1 Tsp Vegetable oil
• 3 Lemon Grass talks ; tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise (I couldn't find lemon grass so I cut one lemon in half and put it in there. Don't squeeze it, just plunk the lemon in the soup. You'll be draining it later so it doesn't matter. You just want that lemon flavor.)
• 3 Large shallots, chopped (Yah, I didn't have shallots either. I used the half of a yellow onion and it seemed fine)
• 8 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped coarse
• 3 T Fish sauce
• 4 c Low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans coconut milk (14 oz) shaken well ( I used the low cal or lite coconut milk)
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and sliced on bias into 1/8 inch pieces
• 3 T lime juice
• 2 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste

Garnish
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Serrano chilies, sliced thin (I didn't bother with these it was already hot enough from the curry paste)
2 scallions, sliced thin on a bias
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 T fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2-5 minutes (vegetables should not brown).

Stir in chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk, bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir remaining can coconut milk and sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cook stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1-3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 T fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chilies, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.