Chicken and Coconut Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

* 1 quart coconut milk
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch strips
* 3 lemongrass, stalks trimmed, smashed, cut into 2-inch lengths
* 3⁄4 inch fresh ginger, cut into 10 slices
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 4 fresh lime leaves, fresh, roughly chopped
* 1 cup button mushroom, sliced
* 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
* 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 1 dash salt
* 1 dash pepper
* 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

How To Cook:
1. In a large saucepan, combine coconut milk & chicken stock, bringing to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, add the chicken pieces & simmer about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon & set aside.

2. Add lemongrass, ginger, chilli & lime leaves & simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Remove larger pieces of spices with a slotted spoon, then return the chicken to the saucepan, along with the mushrooms & heat through, about 3 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat & stir in the fish sauce, lime juice & sugar, then season with salt & pepper, before garnishing with the cilantro, if desired.