Thai Coconut Milk Soup with Chicken or Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 T ghee or oil

• 3 shallots

• 2 T fresh ginger

• 1 stalk lemon grass, minced (if you do not have it, use tom yum paste)

• 1 tsp tom yum paste (instead of lemon grass)

• 2 tsp red curry paste (1 tsp if using tom yum paste)

• 1 zucchini sliced in small pieces

• 2 stalks celery, finely sliced

• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets instead of zucchini

• 4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup water

• 3 T fish sauce

• 1 can coconut milk (you can put 2 cans if you want it richer, as one will offer a bit of taste, but 2 cans is more traditional)

• 1/2 lb fresh shitake mushrooms. sliced or soak and slice about 6 dried shitake mushrooms (optional)

• 1 lb salmon or chicken breast

• 2 T fresh lime juice

• salt to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Here’s How:

1. Saute shallots in the ghee.

2. Finely chop ginger in food processor and add to sauté.

3. Chop lemon grass in food processor and wrap in cheesecloth.

4. Add celery and zucchini and sauté till almost done.

5. Place chicken stock, water and coconut milk in soup pot and bring to simmer.

6. Place wrapped lemon grass in pot.

7. Soak shitakes if dried in hot water till soft, cut off stems and slice thinly.

8. Add shitakes to soup.

9. Add veggie sauté.

10. Pan fry protein till almost done.

11. Add to soup pot, being careful to remove bones.

12. Season soup with lime, curry, salt to taste and chopped cilantro or parsley right before serving.

Note:  For a richer tasting soup you can substitute a can of coconut creme for coconut milk.If you don't have celery or zucchini feel free to substitute other veggies like broccoli or carrots.