LEMONGRASS
COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP
This delicious soup is
based on a traditional Thai dish, tom yung gai. It
features what I
think of as the definitive Thai flavoring, lemongrass, combined with
chicken, coconut milk, and,
for heat, sambal.
I’ve
followed the time-honored Thai method, and left large pieces of
lemongrass in the soup, but you
can strain them out before serving, if you like. (If you leave
them in, you might want to warn diners that they’re not to be eaten.)
This
works beautifully as a first course, or serve it as a light lunch with a
salad dressed with a citrus
vinaigrette.
Serves 4
-
1
tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
-
4
lemongrass stalks, pale parts only, crushed with the flat side of a
knife
-
2 medium
onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick
-
2 Thai
or serrano chiles, stemmed but not seeded, minced (optional)
-
2
boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
-
3
tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
-
6 cups
Master Chicken Broth or low-sodium canned chicken broth
-
1/2 cup
coconut milk
-
Juice of
2 lemons
-
Kosher
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-
1
tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens
Heat a
medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the
pan. Add the lemongrass, stir, and sweat
it, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the onions
and chiles, if using, and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the
chicken and sauté until opaque,
about 1 minute. Add the fish sauce and broth, stir, bring to a simmer,
and cook until the liquid is reduced slightly to intensify its flavor,
15 to 20 minutes. Whisk in the
coconut milk and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper,
garnish with the scallions, and serve.
