Fragrant Chicken and Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Ingredients

250 ml    (1 cup) chicken stock
250 ml    (1 cup) coconut milk
250 ml  (1 cup) coconut cream
300 gm  skinless chicken breasts, sliced on an angle
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, thickly sliced on an angle
4 red shallots, thinly sliced
4 birdseye chillies, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
20 gm galangal, thickly sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely torn
2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
1 tbsp lime juice, or to taste
1 tsp palm sugar, or to taste
For garnish:  Thai basil

 

Directions:

Bring stock, coconut milk and coconut cream to the simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add chicken, lemongrass, shallot, chilli, galangal and kaffir lime leaves and simmer until chicken is just cooked through (2-4 minutes).

Stir in fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar, adjust flavours to taste and serve hot scattered with Thai basil and extra chilli.
This recipe is from the August 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.