Lemmongrass Chicken Soup
This is more or less a copy of the lemmongrass chicken soup served
at a Thai restauraunt which changed owners in Albuquerque around 2001.
I have modified it a bit, but it is very similar to the soup they served
at their buffet.
Makes about 3 quarts to 1 gallon
Saute about 1 lb. chicken breast or thigh meat sliced thin with
5 cloves minced fresh garlic and 1/2 tsp ground pepper and set aside.
To 1.5 quarts of chicken stock add about 1 cubic inch of Thai Ginger sliced
thin across the fibers. You can leave the skin on.
Also add 1 stalk lemmongrass sliced with a severe diagonal in
one inch pieces. You want a long diagonal so that the soup
can get into the fibers and extract the flavor.
Simmer these herbs for about 10 minutes.
Add the following to the simmering stock
- re-introduce sauteed chicken
- about 6 full (double) lime leaves, bruised
- bamboo chutes
- 1 16 oz. can diced, peeled tomatoes
- 1 large onion cut in strips, (onion blossom style)
- Chicken stock to nearly fill volume of pot.
- Salt to taste (may not need any salt if the chicken stock was salted)
The soup is now nearly done.
Serve with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro, some
thinly sliced jalapeņo peppers, and quarters of fresh limes.
Note that the lime leaves, ginger, and lemmongrass are inedible, and
diners should be encouraged to leave these behind.
For a milder, smoother soup, replace the diced tomatoes with a
can of cocunut milk.
Note that the coconut milk can be boiled longer, and can be added at
the same time as the chicken stock.
In fact the oil will help extract the spice essences.
Since this is a smoother soup, I would recommend serving this variation
without the jalapeņos or lime.
Aaron Birenboim 
Last modified: Wed Nov 23 08:26:14 MST 2005