Thai Coconut Soup

This Thai Coconut Soup is simple yet flavorful. Coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms, ginger, lemongrass, lime juice,  sugar,  and fish sauce work in unison to provide subtle yet sophisticated flavors.

So, I worked on this recipe to the point where I am finally confident in sharing it with the rest of the world. One of my daycare parents asked if I would make a Thai Coconut Soup for the blog. She loves it, and a place near her work makes THE best. Naturally, I welcomed the challenge. But frankly, she is probably more knowledgeable about this particular food than I am. Although I like it, I have only had the soup a couple of times, and it has been many, many moons since I had it last.

After a bit of research, consisting of sampling field trips to a couple of Thai restaurants and preparing multiple test batches, I came up with a version that I think stands up to the test. The soup is unassuming yet flavorful and very easy to make. As in many Asian soups, the broth base is the dish’s star, with many layers of flavor. Ginger, lemongrass, lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce are the flavoring agents for this soup’s coconut milk and chicken broth base. My version is finished off simply with thin strips of chicken and shiitake mushrooms. The restaurant versions I recently sampled used button mushrooms, but I think shiitake is a better aesthetic and textural choice for this dish. Finally, cilantro is added as a garnish for added flavor and color.

One discovery I made during the testing of this recipe is that canned coconut milk can vary in consistency, with the solid milk layer in one can being granular while it is creamier in the next. If you open a can where the top white solid layer is granular, don’t panic. It is perfectly fine to use and will not affect the taste of the soup. The finished product may not look creamy, but it will taste just great! To play it safe, buy an extra can of coconut milk for backup if you want the soup to look perfect.

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Thai Coconut Soup

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Stovetop Cooked Cuisine:Thai Courses:Soups Recipe Keys: Gluten Free Quick Meals

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 30 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 Servings

Description

This Thai Coconut Soup is simple yet flavorful. Coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms, ginger, lemongrass, lime juice,  sugar,  and fish sauce work in unison to provide subtle yet sophisticated flavors.

Ingredients

• 3 lemongrass stalks
• 1 2-inch chunk ginger, about 1 1/2″ diameter (or equivalent)
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cans (14.5 oz.) low sodium chicken broth
• 2 2/3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. lime juice 
• 2 (13.5 oz.) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast—flattened and sliced into 1/4″x 2″ strips
• 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced into 1/2 strips (caps only)
• 12 sprigs cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Peel off the outer brown dry layer of the lemongrass, if any. Cut the top half of the lemongrass stalks and discard. Cut off and discard the hard, fibrous bottom 1/2-inch of the bulb. Place the usable lemongrass portions on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using a flat mallet or a small hammer, flatten stalks. Peel and slice ginger into 3 or 4 pieces. 
2. Preheat a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add oil. Add lemongrass and ginger. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the lemongrass and ginger with a slotted spoon or tongs.  
3. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice. Increase heat to medium and allow to come to heat without coming to a full boil. Add chicken and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with cilantro.
4. Makes 4 servings.

Keywords:Thai Coconut Soup, Chicken, Mushrooms, Coconut Milk, Soup

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