Beej's Tom Kha Gai

Beej’s Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Feeds four hungry people.

Ingredients

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2 cans (14 oz.) coconut milk

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2 cans (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth

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16 quarter-size slices fresh ginger

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2 stalks fresh lemongrass, cut in 1-in. pieces

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2 pound boned, skinned chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2-in. thick strips

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1 White Onion

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1 cup chopped carrots

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1 vine ripe tomato sliced into ½ in. thick slices and then cut equally into fourths.

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2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

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2 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

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2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce

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4 teaspoons sugar

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2 teaspoons Thai chili paste (do 6 teaspoons if you like it spicy! Which I do!!!)

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1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

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1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. In a large pot, combine coconut milk, broth, ginger, and lemongrass and bring to boil over high heat. 

2. Add chicken, carrots, onion, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is firm and opaque, 5 to 10 minutes. 

3. Discard lemongrass. Drop in tomato after heat is turned off. Garnish servings with basil and cilantro.

For best results let soup sit in fridge over night. Warm up and serve the next day!