Thai coconut soup with shrimp or chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 lemongrass roots, maybe only 1
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 large onion(s)
• 1 lime(s)
• 1 piece(s) galangal (about thumb-sized)
• 1 small jar of bamboo shoots, cut into pieces
• 1 large chicken breast fillet(s) or 2 small or
• 2 pts. shrimp(s) (party shrimp, 100 g each)
• 1 ½ cans of water
• n. B. Chili pepper(s), Thai red
• 1 bunch sweet Thai basil
• fish sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

spicy, slightly sour – hot soup

Combine coconut milk and water (use the empty coconut milk can for measuring) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cut the galangal root lengthwise and then crosswise into three pieces. Cut the lemongrass root crosswise down the middle and add it to the pan along with the galangal and lemon leaves (pierce these a few times with the tip of a knife on a board to release the aroma better). Let it simmer for a good 20 minutes. In the meantime, slice the onion into half rings, halve the bamboo shoots, pick the leaves off half a bunch of sweet basil and roughly chop them, and slice the chili peppers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with the back of a knife (this is where most of the heat is). It’s best to wear gloves for this or wash your hands thoroughly afterward and make sure you don’t get any chili juice under your fingernails – it happened to me once – it burns for days! If you’ve ever been to Thailand and know how spicy the food there is and can handle it, go ahead and use two chilies; otherwise, one will do! And don’t be fooled by their small size; Thai chilies are among the hottest varieties in the world! Now chop the deseeded chili as finely as possible and add it to the pot with the bamboo shoots and the diced chicken or shrimp. Continue simmering until cooked through. Finally, add the squeezed juice of the lime (if they’re just small ones, you can use two), sugar, and season with fish sauce. Since salt isn’t used in Asia, various salty sauces are used, such as soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, crab sauce, etc. Don’t be put off by the smell. It stinks horrible, but it tastes good, and the fishy flavor will evaporate. If it’s not salty enough for you, add more fish sauce until it’s just right; it’s a matter of taste. Now add the basil, turn off the heat, and let it steep for another 1-2 minutes. Done! The lemongrass root, lemon leaves, and galangal are not edible; they’re just for flavoring!