Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Rosemary Zwick:

Like all growing boys, my teenage grandson Jermon was constantly hungry.
I went to my refrigerator to find something he might like to eat. After
poking around a bit and moving the milk and juice cartons, I spotted a
bowl of leftover chili. "Hey, Jermon," I called out excitedly. He came
running into the kitchen. "Look! I found some chili." Struggling to be
polite, he said, "If you're that surprised, I'm not really sure I want it."

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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Even though the lemongrass, slices of ginger, and chiles are used only
for flavoring and not intended to be eaten, they are traditionally
served in the soup. In Thailand it is up to the diner to eat around
them, but you may want to remove them prior to serving.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

8 oz (250 g) skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 stick lemongrass*
2 cups (500 ml) unsweetened coconut milk*
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 inch (2.5 cm) ginger root, sliced into thin rounds
1 - 2 fresh hot chiles (or to taste), cut in half lengthwise
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
1 Tbs (15 ml) lime juice
1 Tbs (15 ml) fish sauce*
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish

*Available in finer supermarkets and Asian specialty shops.

Slice the chicken into 1/4-inch (5 mm) strips. Smash the lemongrass with
the flat of a large knife and cut into 1-inch (2 cm) pieces. Heat the
coconut milk and water in a saucepan over moderate heat - do not boil.
Add the lemongrass, ginger, and chiles and simmer for 2 minutes,
stirring frequently and being careful that the mixture does not boil.
Add the chicken strips and simmer 5 minutes. Add the remaining
ingredients and simmer for 1 minute. Serve garnished with cilantro.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Mar 9 18:18:15 2009