tom yum kai

Tom Yum Kai : Spicy and Sour Chicken Soup

5 cups of Chicken Stock
2 cups of Chicken (Breasts or any part that you prefer/ or Prawns), cut
3 cups of Mushroom (Thai Straw Mushrooms are recommended)
4-6 Tablespoons of Lime Juice
4-6 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce
2-3 Tablespoons of Sweet-Roasted Chillies Paste
4-6 of Tomatoes, halved or quartered
4-6 of Red Shallots, halved or quartered
4-5 of Fresh Kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
2-3 of Fresh Lemon Grass, roughly sliced
1-2 of Galangal, roughly sliced
4-8 of Chillies, roughly sliced or crushed (de-seeded is optional)
2 of Coriander's roots, crushed-just broken with pestle
a pinch of sugar
Thai parsley leaves, roughly cut
Coriander & Spring Onion, roughly cut


Preparation

* heat the chicken stock in the pot, bring to the boil
* add lemon grass, coriander's root, kiffir lime leaves, galangal, wait till aromatic
* add chicken, wait till the chicken is cooked through - do not stir
* add tomatoes, cook for 2-3 mins
* add mushrooms, lower the heat and cook slowly
* add fish sauce
* add sweet roasted chillies paste, liquidise the paste before adding
* add a pinch of sugar (only very little, not too much)
* add lime juice
* add parsley leaves and a half part of coriander leaves and spring onion

* turn off the heat, remove to the serving bowl
* sprinkle with the 2nd half part of coriander leaves and spring onion
* serve with streamed rice