Spicy Chicken Coconut Soup

Serves:

Ingredients:

Stephen Ceideburg
1 tb Slivered galangal root or
1 c Whole straw mushrooms
teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 ts Minced lemon grass or 1
2 c Chicken stock
4 c Unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 ts Sugar
including part of green top
2 Green onions, thinly sliced,
to taste
1 1/2 ts Chopped hot chile pepper, or
3 tb Fish sauce
peel
1/2 c Slivered fresh lemon, with
2 Chicken breast halves
ginger root

Method:

[I prefer galangal--even dried, to ginger, but ginger will do.
S.
C.
] Place chicken breasts in pan with just enough cold water to cover.
Bring to a boil over medium heat; immediately reduce heat so water barely ripples.
Simmer uncovered, until done, about 12 minutes.
Meat should be moist and opaque throughout; cook only to just beyond pink stage.
Remove breasts and drain well.
Cool to room temperature; remove and discard skin and bones.
Shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
Reserve.
Combine slivered lemon, fish sauce, chile pepper, green onion and sugar; set aside.
Combine coconut milk, chicken stock, lemon grass, mushrooms and galangal in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lemon grass is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add reserved chicken and lemon mixture and heat through, about 3 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8 as a first course or 4 as a main course.