CHICKEN-COCONUT SOUP

Chicken-Coconut Soup image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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4 stalks fresh lemon grass, trimmed and cut 6 inches long
4 1/2 cups unsweetened canned coconut milk
1 1/2 cups fresh or canned chicken stock
1 pound boneless chicken cut in large bite-size pieces
20 slices fresh galangal or ginger each the size of a quarter
10 black peppercorns
6 makrut lime leaves, optional
1 cup well-drained canned straw mushrooms halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nuoc mam), or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon whole fresh coriander leaves

Steps:

Trim the roots from the lemon grass and strip away the outer leaves. Bruise the stalks at 2-inch intervals with the blunt edge of a knife or cleaver; then, cut each crosswise into four pieces. Set aside.
Combine the coconut milk and the chicken stock in a 3-quart saucepan, and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the lemon grass, chicken, galangal, peppercorns and lime leaves. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, remove from heat and stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more fish sauce and lime juice if desired. Scatter with coriander leaves, and serve.