Wade Murphy's Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup): Today

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn (this is optional, don't worry if you can’t get them)
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2 inch pieces and bashed with the back of a knife
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tbsp Thai red curry pasted
• 1 litre chicken stock, or vegetable stock if going vegetarian
• 2 x 400g cans coconut milk
• 250g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, if going vegetarian use 1 more tbsp soy sauce)
• 2 large chicken breasts diced or 500g deveined Shrimp or an array of vegetables such as courgettes, peppers, etc if going vegetarian. Also tofu is good for a vergatrian option.
• 2 tbsp lime juice

For Garnish:

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch coriander
• Lime wedges

Method

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and cook until softened.
2. Add the curry paste and stir into mix.
3. Cook for a minute or two in order to cook out the spices.
4. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
6. Add the coconut milk and stir in.
7. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat and strain the broth through a sieve.
9. Return to the heat and add the mushrooms chicken, shrimp or vegetables and tofu, whichever you want to use.
10. Simmer until the chicken or shrimp are cooked through, 10 - 15 minutes for the chicken, 5-6 minutes for the shrimp.
11. If using tofu and vegetables, just simmer for a couple of minutes until heated through.
12. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and lime juice.
13. Taste and add more of each if needed.
14. Allow to simmer for another 2 minutes and then ladle into serving dishes and top with the coriander, scallions and lime wedges.
15. If you want to you could add some precooked noodles to the serving bowl before you ladle in the soup.