Thai Chicken Soup Recipe

A fragrant blend of coconut milk, lemon grass, ginger and lime makes a delicious soup, with just a hint of chili.

Whenever you have a roast chicken it is worth using the carcass to make stock. Remove all the skin from the remains of the bird and put the carcass into a large pan. Add roughly chopped onion, carrot, and celery stick, and a bouquet garni. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Skim off the scum and then simmer the stock for 1 hour. Strain through muslin (cheesecloth). Skim of the fat when the stock is cold.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

5 ml/1 teaspoon oil

1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large leek, finely sliced

550 ml/18 fl oz/2.5 cups chicken stock

450 ml/0.75 pint/scant 2 cups coconut milk

450 g/1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bitesize pieces

30 ml/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

1 lemon grass stalk, split

2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and crushed

5 ml/1 teaspoon sugar

4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

75 g/3 oz/0.75 cup frozen peas, thawed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chilies and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the leek and cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken, fish sauce, lemon grass, ginger, sugar and lime leaves, if using. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until the chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes longer. Remove the lemon grass and stir in the cilantro just before serving.