Surin'S Coconut Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons lemongrass, outer sheath removed, bottom 3 inches trimmed and minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 -3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fish sauce or 3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 (14 ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 by 1/4-inch strips
1 (15 ounce) can straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons lime juice
salt
1/2 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
3 scallions, greens only, sliced thin on an angle (optional)

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the lemon grass, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Add 1/2 cup chicken stock to the pot and stir to dissolve the curry paste. Add the remaining stock, fish sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms, and lime juice. Bring back to a simmer and cook until the stock is hot and the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with cilantro and scallions.
VARIATION: THAI SHRIMP AND COCONUT SOUP. Substitute 1/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp for the chicken in step 3.