Thai-Style Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 8 fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 lb white mushroom, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and sliced on the bias into 1/8 inch thick pieces
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

Garnish

• 1/2 cup cilantro leaf
• 2 serrano chilies, sliced thin
• 2 scallions, sliced thin on the bias
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add the lemongrass, shallots, cilantro and 1 Tablespoon of the fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and 1 can of coconut milk; bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids. Rinse the saucepan and return the broth mixture to the pan.

2. 2

   Return the pan to medium-high heat. Stir the remaining can of coconut milk and sugar into the broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat.

3. 3

   Combine the lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 Tablespoons fish sauce in a small bowl; stir into the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cilantro, chilies and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.