Tom Kha Gai: Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup

Tom Kha Gai is the specialty of Thai and Lao cooking. Its very light and quite straightforward to make. 

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Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 sweet red pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 shallots
• 1 tbsp ginger (peeled and minced)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cups/16oz/450ml chicken stock
• 1 400g/13.5oz can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp creamed coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp yellow curry paste (more if you like spice)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1/2 lime squeezed
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro

Directions:

• Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, peppers and chicken breasts chopped. Slice the lemongrass in half and cook down. Cook until the meat is fully browned. 
• Add the chicken stock, curry paste, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk. Depending on how much coconut flavor you like, you can add creamed coconut. I added 2 tbsp worth rather than the entire package (). Last, squeeze half of the lime and add the fresh herbs to the soup. 

Note:

• When buying coconut milk, read the label and look for the percent of coconut. I try to buy 60%, even if it is a little more expensive than ones with 40-50%. This makes it more creamy. 
• I also buy "Pure creamed coconut" which comes in a box, and is the solid part of the coconut, similar to the consistency of coconut oil. This is a nice alternative to coconut milk, and when you add water to it, it becomes coconut milk. 
• Asian speciality stores will have these ingredients at a low cost.