Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 Tbs lemon grass paste, or fresh lemon grass
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, or zest of 1 lime
• 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced, or 1 Tbs ginger paste
• 2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed (optional)
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions:

• Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.
• Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice, and chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat the chicken through; season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into a soup tureen or individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro.