Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup (Gaeng Dom Yam Gai)

This is a great combination of flavors: richness from the coconut milk, brightness from lime juice, and funk from fish sauce. Some foodie friends compared it favorably to the one at their favorite Thai place in DC. It's easy to make but requires some specialized ingredients; it won't be at all the same without the fish sauce!

The recipe is based on Jennifer Brennan's The Original Thai Cookbook, and I've been making it since 1989. I've modified the original recipe to avoid the chicken bones and fat from skin in the finished soup -- they distract from the rich coconut and bright lime flavors. Proportions here are pretty flexible. You can use all white meat, or all dark, or a combination; be careful not to overcook the white meat. You can use frozen chopped lemongrass instead of fresh stalks. Galangal is similar to ginger but has a more exotic aroma.

3 C      Coconut Milk, Thai/Vietnamese(2 13.5 fl oz cans)
3 C      Water
1 pound  Chicken, skin removed, deboned, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 stalks Lemon Grass, bruised and cut into 1 inch lengths
1 thumb  Galangal, sliced thin
3        Green Onions, finely sliced
2 Tbs    Coriander Leaves, chopped (1 large bunch)
3        Serrano chilis, fresh, seeded, chopped (to taste)
3 Tbs    Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
4 Tbs    Lime Juice (from 2 limes)

In a sauce pan, thin Coconut Milk with Water and bring to low boil.

Add Chicken pieces, Lemon Grass, and Laos Powder. (If you find the woody chunks of Lemon Grass and fresh Galangal annoying in the finished soup, you could wrap them in a cheesecloth bag).

Reduce heat and simmer until Chicken is tender, about 5 minutes. Do not cover as this will tend to curdle the Coconut Milk.

When Chicken is tender, add Green Onions, Coriander Leaves, Chilis.

Bring heat up just below boiling, briefly.
Remove pan from heat, stir in Fish Sauce and Lime Juice.

Serve in heated bowls.
An off-dry Riesling wouldn't be unwelcome.