Thai cooking has always been a passion, with fresh aromatic ingredients like lemon grass, cilantro, chilies and ginger the possibilities of creating dishes in endless. This cuisine brings to world  the 5 flavors of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and hot. The  subtle variation in proportions of ingredients used highlights these flavors.

Soup is always the best when the stock is of ultimate quality. Make your chicken stock at home with bones and vegetable or buy a good organic variety.

With Thai cooking you need the sour with the sweetness of creaminess. In this soup I have used low fat coconut milk and no oil, the ingredients lend their flavors beautifully.

Use dried shitake mushrooms instead of fresh ones and they are more intense. Just soak the in warm water for 30 mins and use the liquid as well.

The spark comes from the kaffir lime leaves which I have bought dried ( I can’t find the fresh ones here so far)

Now to the starch, the Lotus Food forbidden rice noodles are so good, healthy and add that intense purple color.

Chicken and Stock

• 4 whole organic chicken thighs
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 anise seed pods
• 1/2 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 carrots chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 whole black cardamoms
• 2 cups water

Soup

• 5-7 Shitake Mushrooms soaked in warm water for 30 mins and then sliced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• One yellow zucchini sliced in thin slices
• 1 can low fat coconut milk
• 1 full tablespoon  red thai curry paste
• 4-5 dried kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 serving of forbidden rice ramen ( Lotus Foods)

Putting it together:

• Add all the chicken ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes. Your can also cook in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours but I much prefer the pressure cooking.
• Cool and strain the chicken. Save the broth and shred the chicken.
• In a saucepan over medium heat combine curry paste with coconut milk. Stir until it come together.
• Add turmeric and chili powder
• Continue cooking and add the stock. Also add the fresh stock from the chicken cooked above.
• Once the soup base has come together add the lime leaves, zucchini, mushroom and the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Add 1 cube of rice ramen and cook through pulling the ramen apart for 4 minutes.
• Turn of the heat and add the lime juice.
• Dry roast the desiccated coconut and sprinkle over the soup before serving

Sharing at Fiesta Friday! Thanks  Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Nimmi @ Adorable Life for co-hosting