This is spicy and refreshing broth that is found on the menu of all Thai restaurants and I was taught to cook whilst on holidays in Thailand with my wife Amelda. This one is made with prawns but it is also delicious made with chicken. Replace with 200g (7oz) of boneless, skinless chicken that has been thinly sliced. Recipe serves 6-8.
Ingredients:
– 600ml (1 pint) chicken stock
– 2 x 400g (14oz) tins of coconut milk (preferably Thai Gold)
– juice of 1 lime
– 50g (2oz) shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
– 20g (¾oz) fresh galangal, peeled and sliced
– 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and chopped
– 3 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried)
– 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
– 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
– 2 tsp tomato purée
– 1 tsp light brown sugar
– 1–2 crushed dried bird’s eye chillies
– 200g (7oz) or raw peeled king prawns
– 1 head of pak choi, thinly sliced
– good handful of fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
– chilli oil, for drizzling
Method:
1. Heat the stock in a pan. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, mushrooms, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce, tomato purée, sugar and dried chillies to taste.
2. Bring to the boil, stirring to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust as you think necessary – you may think it needs a little extra of something.
3. Pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pan. Add the prawns and pak choi and bring back to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
5. Ladle into deep warmed bowls and garnish with coriander and a drizzle of chilli oil, the amount you add depends on how you like your food.