Hot and Sour Soup with Chicken

Difficulty:

1/5

The name says it all. This soup is at once spicy and sour and is a perfect example of how Thai foods play on contrasting flavors in one taste. We prefer chicken thighs because their meatier and have a deeper flavor. Note once again the balance of flavors in the sweet palm sugar, tart lime juice, salty fish sauce and spicy chilies. Add noodles and you’ve got Thai chicken soup!

Ingredients

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
Pinch of finely grated or chopped palm sugar
4 slices unpeeled galangal
3 shallots, peeled
2 fresh lime leaves, torn, plus 5 leaves (centre vein removed), finely sliced
6 ounces (170 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons (45 mL) fish sauce, plus more to taste
4 red bird’s eye chilies, bruised
3 tablespoons (45 mL) finely sliced lemongrass, to serve
2 tablespoons (30 mL) finely sliced shallots, to serve
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Bruise the lemongrass by laying it on the cutting board and whacking on the surface with the dull side of a chef’s knife. Place the stock in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with the pinch of palm sugar along with a pinch of salt.
Add the galangal, smashed lemongrass (kept whole), shallots, and torn lime leaves, and simmer for a few minutes. Add the chicken, and simmer until cooked, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat, and transfer the chicken to a plate. Cover the stock. Let the chicken cool slightly, then coarsely tear or shred using your hands.
Strain the stock into another pot using a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the aromatics. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat.
Divide the lime juice, fish sauce, chilies (kept whole), and chicken meat into individual soup bowls. Pour over the hot stock. Add the sliced lemongrass, shallots, and sliced lime leaves. Check the seasoning; it should taste equally hot, sour, and salty. If necessary, adjust with more lime juice, fish sauce, and/or palm sugar. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Serves 4