Tom Kha Gai

submitted by traub_turnbull
from UK

1 whole chicken breast
2 chicken thighs
1/2 pound of cleaned shrimp (optional)
4 stalks fresh lemongrass
4 1/2 cups coconut milk (NOT coconut cream)
1 1/2 cups basic chicken stock
20 quarter-sized slices fresh galanga (fresh ginger makes a fine substitute)
10 whole black peppercorns
12 fresh wild lime leaves (available at Asian markets; if unavailable, substitute the
grated peel
of 1 lime) 1 cup well-drained, whole canned straw mushrooms, halved lengthwise
(sliced fresh button mushrooms
work fine too) 2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Bone and skin the chicken. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Chop
off the grassy tops of the lemongrass stalks, leaving about 6 inches of the bottom of
the stalks. Cut away the hard root end. Peel away the tough outer leaves. Using the
blunt edge of a heavy knife or a meat tenderizer, bruise the stalks on all sides.
Cut each stalk crosswise into 4 pieces; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the
coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Add
the lemongrass, chicken, shrimp, galanga, peppercorns, and 1/2 of the lime zest or
leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is opaque, about 10 to 15
minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, add the mushrooms and remove from the heat. Add
the fish sauce and lime juice to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

http://www.simpleinternet.com/recipes/
International Recipes OnLine
On-Line Culinary Discussion at Food.Chat:
http://www.simpleinternet.com/foodchat/

--
Rec.food.recipes is moderated by Patricia Hill at .
Only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting.
Please allow several days for your submission to appear.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/rfr/ http://recipes.alastra.com/