072617d

Tom Kha Gai

four to six servings

Ingredients

5 cups chicken stock

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

one half cup lemon juice

one half cup fish sauce

three or four pieces dried galanga root (this is the Kha. Use the dried disk or if not available substitute powdered) (this is a relative of ginger, but the taste is different and it's better not to use ginger. You can freeze fresh galanga root)

three or four lemon leaves or 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

two stalks finely minced lemongrass or 2 teaspoons dried lemongrass

8 ounce can straw mushrooms (It tastes different if you substitute another kind of mushrooms, but it still works)

two whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and sliced into 1 inch pieces (this is the Gai)

two fresh green chile peppers, diagonally sliced 1/8” thick (other hot peppers can be substituted with no problem)

one half teaspoon sugar

Procedure

Heat chicken broth in large pot. Add coconut milk and stir vigorously until blended. Add the lemon juice and fish sauce. Stir in the galanga root, lemon leaves, lemongrass, straw mushrooms, and chicken. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken meat is just cooked. Stir in the chili peppers and sugar and serve hot.