Tom Kha — Coconut Galangal Soup with Chicken Breast

Ingredients

• 12 oz Chicken Breast, sliced thin
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 3 inches galangal, sliced into coins
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into lengths
• 6 makrut lime leaves, torn
• 2 cups Oyster Mushrooms, torn or sliced
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 Thai chilies, bruised
• Handful cilantro

Method

1. Simmer the stock with the galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves for 10 minutes to build the aromatic base. Don't boil it hard — you want infusion, not evaporation.
2. Add the coconut milk, Oyster Mushrooms, and chilies and bring back to a bare simmer.
3. Slide in the Chicken Breast and poach gently until just cooked — 4 minutes for chicken at 165°F (74°C), 2 minutes for shrimp turning opaque and curled.
4. Take the pot off the heat before seasoning with fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice. Lime added over heat goes bitter and flat.
5. Taste and adjust until it's salty, sour, and creamy all at once. Fish out the woody aromatics if you like, scatter cilantro, and serve with jasmine rice.