Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

When I was younger, the words Asian cuisine would bring to mind familiar dishes like sweet and sour shrimp or moo goo gai pan, but not much else. The local Chinese restaurant was my only exposure to the food of an entire continent.

But as a grownup, my horizons have been expanded. In large part, it’s because I moved to a larger city with more variety in restaurant choices—thus I became exposed to more previously unfamiliar fare.

I remember my first visit to an Indian restaurant, when I was a college student. I was so baffled by the unfamiliar menu that I left without ordering. That was a shame, because it was many years before I tried Indian food again, and now it’s one of my absolute favorite cuisines. I think about the years I missed out on such delights as chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo and shrimp coconut curry with some regret.

Now, my palate is definitely attuned to pan-Asian cuisine. Japanese (and not just sushi), Vietnamese and Thai foods are part of my regular dining experiences. And I can thank my wife, Lisa, for my exposure to many of these cuisines. She has been my guide into a larger and tastier world.

A couple of years ago, she had a soup at a Thai restaurant that she liked so much, she came home and, with some trial and error, figured out how to make it herself. This spicy-sweet-tangy broth with the rich flavor of coconut milk is a satisfying meal by itself or can be the starter for a larger dinner.

Lisa is an “eyeball” cook, tossing ingredients together more by look and feel than by measurement. But to share her recipe, she took the time to figure out the basic amounts of ingredients she uses. And because some of the ingredients may not be available in smaller grocery stores (you can find everything but lemongrass online), I have included some possible substitutions.

Sample the soup as you cook, especially if you use substitutes. The amounts of just about any of its components can be adjusted to fit your particular tastes.

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oil
• 6 green onions or shallots, sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass (or substitute 1 teaspoon lemon zest and a teaspoon or so of minced fresh ginger)
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts
• 3 tablespoons miso paste*
• ½ cup fresh basil (or Thai basil)
• Juice of 1½ limes, or to taste
• 8 baby bok choy (Chinese cabbage)
• 8 to 10 mint leaves, torn into small pieces
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
• ¼ cup fish sauce,** or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• ⅛ cup rice wine vinegar, or to taste

1. Sauté onion in 6 tablespoons oil in large stock pot until translucent.
2.  Add green onions (or shallots) and garlic.
3. Discard tough, brown stalk from lemongrass and chop tender green portion.
4. Add to sauté along with chicken broth, grated ginger, carrots and 1 quart water.
5. Meanwhile, debone chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and sauté in frying pan with teaspoon oil until browned.
6. As chicken is cooking, remove about 1/2 cup hot broth from stock pot and mix with miso until smooth.
7. Return to pot along with basil and lime juice.
8. Trim and discard ends from bok choy and add to soup along with mint leaves, cilantro leaves, coconut milk, fish sauce, pepper and vinegar.
9. Taste and adjust amounts of lime juice, fish sauce and vinegar.
10. Add browned chicken and juices from skillet to soup.
11. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
12. Serve by itself or over noodles.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 2 cups. Per serving: 289 calories

* Miso is a fermented soybean and/or rice product often used to make soups or sauces in Japanese cuisine. If it’s not available, try substituting soy sauce at a rate of a teaspoon of soy sauce per tablespoon of miso, or an equivalent amount of tahini (sesame paste).

** If you must substitute for the fish sauce, which is a condiment popular in Thai and Vietnamese cooking, try a combination of soy sauce and a squeeze of lime juice to equal the amount of fish sauce.

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Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chicken

Packed with veggies and delicious flavors like coconut, lime and curry, this meal is a cinch to prepare and will surely become a family favorite. And at only 271 calories per serving, there’s no better reason for staying home and enjoying a meal at home.

Curry paste and coconut milk spice up a simple chicken and vegetable stir-fry. Once the ingredients are prepped, the cooking goes quickly, so have everything ready before you heat the pan.

• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 8-ounce package presliced mushrooms
• ½ cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, red curry paste, and crushed red pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes, turning once.
2. Remove chicken from the bag, reserving marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 1½ teaspoons oil to pan. Add onion and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add reserved marinade, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in chicken and salt; cook 1 minute. Top with sprouts and cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup chicken mixture, ¼ cup of sprouts, and 1 tablespoon cilantro)

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Thai Chicken Pasta

Forget takeout: this fresh twist on Pad Thai requires only six ingredients and 20 minutes to make. To make the dish spicier, stir in some crushed red pepper.

• 3 cups cooked chicken cut into strips
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon Thai seasoning
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return pasta to pan
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken, coconut milk, and Thai seasoning in a large skillet. Cook and gently stir over medium heat until mixture is heated through. Pour hot chicken mixture over cooked pasta in pan. Add peanuts and cilantro. Toss gently to coat.

Makes 4 servings.

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