Tom Kha Gai

I love cooking, but lately I've been working a ton and when I'm not working I'm dying to be outside doing something active.  Cooking isn't just something I like to do it is something I need to do, because it is a stress releaser. But half the time I don't want to eat what I make and that is when it's great to have people around to eat it for me! Needless to say I love cooking for someone else and having them love love love what I made. When my specail someone came to visit me it was a perfect time to stress cook and not have any left overs. On the menu one evening was a Thai soup called Tom Kha Gai - a chicken coconut soup.

You can find the recipe at bon appetit or below:

The Recipe:

Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup)

Serves: 6 (or two men and one girl)

Ingredients:

1 - 1" piece of ginger

1 Tbsp. lime zest (ideally you want 10 kaffir lime leaves)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I would subsititue a cup or two with more coconut milk)

8 oz. shiitake or maitake mushrooms (yes use the caps, stems all cup up in bit size pieces)

1 - 13.5 oz can coconut milk

2 Tbsp. Fish sauce

1 tsp. sugar

2 stalks fresh lemongrass

Chili oil, cilantro leaves with tender stems and lime wedges (for toppings)

To start use the back of a knife to lightly smash the lemongress and ginger, cut the lemongrass into 4" pieces. Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves and broth to a boil in a large squacepan. Reduce the heat to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to get all the flavors from the ginger, lemongrass and lime zest. Strain broth into a clean saucepan or fish it all out and discard.

Add your chicken and return to a boil. Reduce the heat again and add mushrooms. Simmer until mushrooms are soft (about 20 to 25 minutes). Mix in coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Heat it up a bit then dish it into your serving bowls. AND finally top with chili oil, cilantro and lime wedges to your taste.