Coconut Milk Soup with Chicken (Gai Dom Kha)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Wash and trim root ends of lemon grass. Peel off tough layers and slice bottom 6 inches thinly. Discard rest of the lemon grass. Chop one tablespoon.

2. Step 2

   With a food processor running add chopped lemon grass, 1 tablespoon sliced ginger, the garlic, peppercorns and coriander roots and shallots and process to rough paste.

3. Step 3

   Bring 1 cup of the coconut milk to a boil and add lemon grass mixture. Keep stirring, reduce heat and add chicken, the remaining coconut milk and the remaining ginger and lemon grass. Return mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is tender, about 3 minutes longer.

4. Step 4

   Add chilies, fish sauce and lime juice to soup.

5. Step 5

   Decorate with lime leaves and coriander sprigs and serve.