A couple weeks ago I had one of the most divine soups ever made from a local restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine called Thai Bistro in Corona del Mar, CA. I didn’t know what I wanted so I ordered their chicken coconut soup. Jackpot!
I had always heard that this place was good, but I didn’t know I would be thinking about this soup for the next three weeks. As I was chowing down I was trying to figure out the ingredients so I could replicate it at home. I mentally jotted down what I tasted and Googled to see what recipe I could find. Here is the recipe that I believe replicates this unbelievable Thai coconut soup. Serves 4.
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, cracked open with the flat side of a knife
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried, hand torn
- 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise or 1 Tbs Thai chili paste
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed
- 4 limes, juiced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
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. Garnish with cilantro. Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass, ginger, or lime leaves.
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