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Chicken Coconut Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 green onions, very thinly slice crosswise

6 wild lime leaves, cut in quarters (optional)

2 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

10 to 12 slices galanga, fresh, frozen, or dried

2 stalks fresh lemongrass

3/4 lb. boneless chicken, cut into big bite-sized chunks

1 cup fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

1. In a large serving bowl combine the lime juice, fish sauce, green onions, and half the wild lime leaves, if using. Place this bowl by the stove, along with a small bowl containing the chopped cilantro.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk and chicken broth then bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Sir in the galanga, lemongrass, and remaining lime leaves, if using. Add the chicken and mushrooms, return to a gentle boil, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, pour the hot over the herbs and seasonings in the serving bowl, and stir well. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Meatball Soup with Spinach and Crispy Garlic

Ingredients:

4 cups water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped

1/2 lb. ground pork or ground beef

8 cups spinach leaves, washed & trimmed

2 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, for the crispy garlic in oil: Place a small heatproof bowl by the stove. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat until a bit of garlic sizzles at once. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it is fragrant and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour hot garlic and oil into the heatproof bowl, and set aside to cool.

2. When the water is boiling wildly, add the ground pork in generous pinches, by hand or by teaspoons, making free-form meatballs. Stir well, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until meat is cooked.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach, green onions, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, pour the crispy garlic and oil mixture over the soup, and serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

Shrimp and Lemongrass Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh hot green chilies, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise

6 wild lime leaves, cut in quarters (optional)

2 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped

3 cups water, chicken broth, or shrimp stock

3 stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed to 3 inch base & cut on diagonal into 1 inch lengths

5 slices galanga, (fresh, frozen, or dried)

1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 cup fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons roasted chili paste

1. In a large serving bowl combine the lime juice, chilies, green onion, and half the lime leaves, if using. Place this bowl by the stove, along with a small bowl containing the chopped cilantro.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, lemongrass galanga, and remaining lime leaves, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and mushrooms to the broth, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the mushrooms are tender and the shrimp are cooked.

3. Stir in the fish sauce and roasted chili paste, if using, and remove from heat. Pour the hot soup over the lime juice and herbs in the serving bowl, and stir well. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Rice Soup with Chicken, Cilantro, and Crispy Garlic

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups cooked rice

1/4 lb. ground pork, chicken, or turkey

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (optional)

3 green onions, thinly sliced lengthwise

Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1. Place a small heatproof bowl by the stove. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat until a bit of garlic sizzles at once. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it is fragrant and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour hot garlic and oil into the heatproof bowl, and set aside to cool.

2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and then stir in the cooked rice. When the soup returns to a boil, add the ground pork in generous pinches, by hand or by teaspoons, making free-form meatballs. Stir well, and add the fish sauce. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until meat is cooked.

3. Transfer hot soup to a serving bowl and top with crispy garlic in oil, pepper, ginger (if using), green onions, and cilantro. Just before serving, stir well and serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.