Kaffir lime leaves: Hot and Spicy Chicken Soup

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Ingredients

hot and spicy chicken soup3 stalks lemongrass, bottom 6″ only

4 cups water or chicken broth

3 Kaffir lime leaves

1 lb. chicken breasts

1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. fish sauce

1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. lime juice

3 Serrano chiles (to your liking)

½ cup cilantro

Preparation

1. Slice the lemon grass in half, lengthwise. Crush the slices with a knife or cleaver and put them in a saucepan with the water or chicken broth and Kaffir lime leaves.

2. Chop the chicken into 3/4″ pieces, leaving the bones for flavor or removing them. Set aside.

3. Bring the water or chicken broth with the lemon grass and Kaffir lime leaves to a gentle boil and boil for 5 minutes, covered. Add the chicken and fish sauce and boil gently, covered, until the chicken is done, around 15 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and add the lime juice.

5. Remove the stems, but not the seeds, from the chiles, Crush the chiles with a side of a cleaver or large knife until they split in several places.  Add them to the soup and stir.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

Courtesy of “Thai Home Cooking from Kamolmal’s Kitchen”, by William Crawford & Kamolmal Pootaraksa

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Thai Soup: Emerald Soup

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Paste for 4 servings

1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced

8 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 large shallot, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons peeled, coarsely chopped galangal

2/3 cup water

Other ingredients

2 1/2 chicken part(legs and breast)

1/2 pound poblano chilies, seeded and deveined

3/4 pound cubanelle pepper, seeded and deveined

1/4 vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

1 cup unsalted chicken broth

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

Fresh basil leaves (for garnishing)

Thinly sliced bird’s eye chilies

Preparation

To make the paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.  Set aside.

With a cleaver, hack the chicken into pieces about 1 1/2 inches in size.  Cut both kinds of peppers in half lengthwise then cut he halves on the diagonal into bite-sized slices.  Set aside (these two kinds of peppers are used to get the green color).

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and stir occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes or until the oil separates from the milk.  Add the spice paste, simmer for 5 to 6 minutes more, and stir well to blend the flavors.

Add the fish sauce, sugar, salt, shrimp paste and chicken, and cook for 10 minutes while stirring well to coat the mixture.  add the broth and the remaining 3 cups coconut milk.  Return to a simmer, add the peppers and peas and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender while the pot is partially covered.

Garnish with basil leaves and serve with sliced bird’s eye chilies and rice.  Make it for 4 servings.

Note:

The cubanelle peppers and poblano chilies can be substituted with ground lemon grass leaves.

I love to hear your thoughts.  Please leave your comments below

Thai Soup: Sour Lemongrass Pork Soup

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Paste for 4 servings

2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled, coarsely chopped galangal

1 large shallot, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

4 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined and shredded

2/3 cup water

Other ingredients

2 1/2 pounds spareribs or baby back ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces across the bone and cut between the bones.

1 tablespoon fermented fish

5 cup water

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup tamarind juice

1 – 1 1/2 pounds Chinese watercress or regular watercress, cut into 2- inch pieces

Julienned red bell pepper, for garnish

Preparation

To make the paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.

Transfer the paste to a large pot, stir in the ribs and fermented fish (if using) and cook over medium-high heat, for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring well.  Add the water ,  fish sauce, salt, and sugar, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the soup has reached a boil, skim, reduce the heat and simmer for about 75 minutes or until the ribs are tender.  the pot should be partially covered.

Stir in the tamarind juice and watercress, remove from the heat and serve in bowls, garnished with slices of red pepper.

I love to hear your thoughts.  Please leave your comments below

Thai Soup: Sour Chicken Soup with Eggplant

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Paste for 4 servings

4 dried New Mexico chilies, soaked, seeded and deveined

1 tablespoon sliced lemongrass

1 tablespoon peeled, coarsely chopped galangal

2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

4 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

1 cup water

Other ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 pound chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick strips

4 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon fermented fish (optional)

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups small round Thai eggplants, trimmed and cut in half

1/4 cup tamarind juice

Handful of fresh basil leaves for garnishing.

Preparation

To make the paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, then set aside.

Heat the oil in a stockpot.  Add the coconut milk and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the oil separates from the milk.  Add the spice paste and cook for another 2 minutes or until the aroma is released while stirring constantly.

Add the chicken , chicken broth, or water, sugar, fish sauce, fermented fish (if used), and salt, cook and stir occasionally for another 5 minutes.  When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the eggplant, tamarind juice, and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the eggplant is tender, but not too tender.

Pour the soup into a large soup bowl and garnish with the basil and serve with rice.  You may add some chilies if you prefer it hot.  Make it 4 servings.

Thai soup: Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup

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Ingredients: (4 servings)

4 cups of chicken stock

1 table spoon of fish sauce

2 stalks lemongrass, cut in 2 1/2-inch pieces and smashed

5 fresh kaffir lime leaves, deveined the center

One 1-inch piece fresh/frozen galangal

3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup canned straw mushrooms, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons lime juice

Some Coriander sprigs for garnish

Preparation

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring chicken stock, fish sauce, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.  Return mixture to a boil over high heat, add shrimp and mushrooms, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimps turn orange.  Stir in lime juice, garnish with coriander sprigs and serve immediately.  Make 4 course servings.

Tips

You may add some sliced red chili peppers if you want it hot.

Be careful not to overcook shrimp or prawns.  They become tough if left to stand too long.