Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Okay, I love Thai food, but I haven't always.  Afraid to step out of "the box."  The curry box.  All because I didn't know there was more than one type of curry.  All curry isn't bad curry I realized while eating Thai food.  A favorite of mine is a Tom Kha soup.  This isn't Tom Kha, but it has the delicious combination of coconut and chicken that I love.

A few ingredients made their first appearance in my kitchen with this recipe too (lemongrass, bok choy, and miso paste).

I'm glad I broke through the fear of cooking with something new--it really paid off in this yummy recipe!!  And I kept taking photos of the bok choy, wishing I had some daylight while I was cooking it to get better pictures.  I'm enamored with this new vegetable in my life!!

I loved it, the boys ate it, and Babe still hasn't tried a bite.  I think I won't be offended--more for me to lap up!!

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

NOT 1 medium onion, diced
6 T plus 1 t of oil (I think I'd use 4 max next time, but I also substituted garlic for the onion)
NOT 5 green onions or shallots, sliced
4 large cloves garlic, minced (I used 4 T of minced garlic)
2 stalks lemongrass--which I actually found at my grocery store with the fresh herbs (or you can substitute lemon zest and a teaspoon or so of minced fresh ginger)
1 quart chicken broth
1 T fresh grated ginger
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts
3 T miso paste (I had to go to Asian market for this one)
1/2 cup fresh basil (or Thai basil)
juice of 1 1/2 limes, or to taste
8 baby bok choy (Chinese cabbage)
8-10 mint leaves (which I forgot about)
1 bunch of cilantro (leaves only) *I used about 1/4 of the bunch because Babe WHO hasn't even tried a bite of my soup yet doesn't like cilantro*
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
*I did cook some soba noodles to add to it--will do that again*

Saute NO onion in 6 T oil in large stock pot until translucent.  Add green onions and garlic.  Discard tough brown stalk from lemongrass and chop tender green portion.  Add to saute along with chicken broth, grated ginger, carrots, and 1 quart water.

Meanwhile, debone chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and saute in frying pan with teaspoon of oil until browned.  As chicken is cooking, remove about 1/2 cup hot broth from stock pot and mix with miso until smooth.  Return to pot along with basil and lime juice.  Trim and discard ends from bok choy and add to soup along with mint leaves, cilantro leaves, coconut milk, fish sauce, pepper, and vinegar.  Taste and adjust amounts of lime juice, fish sauce, and vinegar.  Add browned chicken and juices from skillet to soup.  Simmer an additional 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.  Serve by itself or over noodles.

*When I make this again, I'll add more carrots and cook the soba noodles and add to entire pot of soup.*

I absolutely loved this soup and Riley did too except he thought it had "too much green stuff (bok choy)!!!"

(12 servings)
(From August 2011 issue of Texas Co-Op Power magazine....of ALL places!!)