Laotian Curry Soup (Kao Pboon) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 cups water
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 inch fresh galangal root, cut into thirds
1 inch fresh gingerroot, cut into thirds
1 tablespoon salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (14 ounce) package rice vermicelli (not clear rice sticks)

Preparation

Fill a large stockpot with water and add chicken, galangal, ginger, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
Remove chicken pieces and allow to cool.
Continue simmering broth.
Cook rice sticks according to package instructions and drain.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Shred meat with a fork. Set aside.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; add shallots, garlic, and curry paste and saute until fragrant.
Stir in coconut milk, reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes.
Remove galangal and ginger pieces from broth and discard. Add curry coconut mixture to broth along with shredded chicken, fish sauce, and sugar (adjusting to your tastes).
Serve additions noted in description on a platter, along with extra fish sauce. Layer noodles in bowls, ladle broth over noodles (along with chicken) and pass platter of garnishes for toppings.