Serving: 1 person Preparation time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 lemongrass stems (white part only)
100g small button mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 chicken breast fillets (180g each)
1.2L salt-reduced chicken stock
4cm piece ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1 long red chili, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons caster sugar
400ml coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice, plus wedges to serve
Small handful each of mint leaves and Thai basil leave
Method
Bruise the lemongrass stems with the back of a knife and cut each one in half. Halve the mushrooms, or slice if large. Cut the chicken breast fillets in half lengthways, then thinly slice against the grain. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock, lemongrass, ginger, chili and caster sugar to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, mushrooms and coconut milk Simmer (without boiling) for 5 minutes, stirring, until chicken is cooked. Add fish sauce and lime juice – the soup should taste hot, sour, lightly sweet and salty. Ladle the soup, chicken and mushrooms into warm bowls, then scatter with mint and basil leaves.
