- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Thai bird chile, preferably red; or 1 serrano or jalapeño chili, seeded and chopped
- 2 slices peeled galangal or fresh ginger
- 1 dried lemongrass stalk, cut into 2-inch lengths and crushed (no substitute)
- 1 teaspoon Thai red chili paste
- 4 cups Basic Asian Chicken Soup
- 2 cups canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 12 shiitake mushroom caps, sliced in strips
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla), or ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 scallions, white and green portions, sliced
- 4 fresh cilantro (coriander) sprigs
- 2 cups steamed jasmine or basmati rice
- Heat peanut oil in a 2½- to 3-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan and slowly simmer or “sweat” onion, garlic, chili, galangal or ginger, lemon-grass, and chili paste for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice until onion and garlic are soft but not colored. Add chicken soup and simmer for 30 minutes.
- The soup can be prepared up to this point about 1 hour before serving and kept, partly covered, at room temperature.
- Just before serving, skim thoroughly. Remove lemongrass and add chicken, mushrooms, and fish sauce. Cook at a gentle boil for 2 to 4 minutes, then add coconut milk and lime juice. Heat but do not boil, until chicken and mushrooms are Just tender.
- Ladle into 4 warm, soup bowls, preferably of Asian shape, and garnish each portion with chopped scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion with ½ cup rice in a small side dish to be spooned into the soup or eaten along with it.