Even Better Tom Kha

You have got to make this! Your tastebuds will thank you, your family will applaud you, and you will feel like you can work magic. Better than the restaurant version, I’m not exaggerating.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated All-time Best Asian Recipes. Serves 6-8

• Coconut oil
• 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to the bottom 6 inches, crushed with a heavy mallet or back of a knife, and sliced into chunks.
• 2-3 inch chunk fresh galanga, trimmed and sliced (optional, if you can find it at your Asian market)
• 3 shallots, coarsely chopped, plus 3 more for optional garnish
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce, divided
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 13-oz cans coconut milk
• 10-12 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves and stems separated
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 8 oz crimini mushrooms
• 14 oz diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 2 tsp red curry paste
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat 1 tsp oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add lemon grass, 3 chopped shallots, galanga, and 1 tbsp fish sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Stir in broth, 1 can coconut milk, and cilantro stems. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Add chicken thighs. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 12 minutes. Remove chicken, set aside, slice when cool. Strain broth through a mesh sieve and discard solids. Rinse pot and return broth mixture to pan. Stir sugar and remaining 1 can coconut milk into broth mixture. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until just tender. Stir in sliced chicken and tomatoes, and heat soup through.
Remove soup from heat. Whisk together lime juice, curry paste, and remaining fish sauce in a small bowl, then stir into soup.
To serve, put a scoop of rice in each bowl and ladle soup over. Garnish with cilantro leaves and optional shallots, see below.
Optional caramelized shallots:
Thinly slice 3 large shallots. Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a small non-stick skillet and cook and stir shallots over medium heat until they are dark golden brown. Use to garnish the soup for even more amazing flavor.