Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup (Tom Ka Gai or Kai Tom Ga)

Yields:	1 servings
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	Preparation	20 minutes
	Cooking	15 minutes
	Ready In	35 minutes

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Ingredients

12	ounces	coconut milk	canned, such as chaokoh
1/4	pound	chicken breast	cut into small chunks
1	each	lime	juice and grated peel
1	each	lemon grass	four inch piece, cut into very thin
3	slices	galangal	more if desired, or substitute fresh ginger
1	x	hot chili peppers	to taste, cut into thin circles
1	x	cilantro	for garnish

Directions

* Note: preferably Thai birds, with serranos an acceptable substitute, (though I've used sweet Fresno chiles in a variation I'll describe below).

Instructions: Pour the lime juice on the chicken and let stand while you prepare the rest of the soup.

In a medium saucepan, place the coconut milk, lemon grass, grated lime peel, galanga or ginger, and (optionally) chiles.

(The optional part is that if you don't want the whole dish to taste spicy, add the chiles later; the earlier you add them, the hotter the resulting dish.)

Bring the coconut milk to a simmer.

When the soup is simmering, add the lime-soaked chicken pieces and stir to distribute them.

Reduce the heat so the soup stays just below a boil and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or till the chicken pieces are finished cooking.

Remove from heat and serve immediately with fresh cilantro leaves for garnish.

Now, the *best* way I ever had this soup was with pieces of fresh grouper instead of chicken.

I also added slices of kumquats instead of the ginger, and used the sweet Fresno chiles instead of Thai birds.

We also served it over Vietnamese rice noodles.