On a good day I crave Thai food, on a bad day, I NEED it! I've been sick this week with a horrible cold and dreaming of a nice bowl of Tom Kha Gai, Thai coconut soup. It turns out that not only is this soup supremely delicious but it actually has a number of health benefits:
Coconut Milk is high in lauric acid which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. It'll give your immune system the boost it needs to help fight off illness.
Ginger - helps with digestion, anti-inflammatory and a natural painkiller.
Lemongrass (also known as Citronella) - helps detoxify the body's organs, it also has anti-bacterial properties and assists digestion. Plus, it has a calming, stress reducing effect.
Lime juice - not only do limes prevent scurvy (as the Brits infamously figured out!), they are antibiotic and high in antioxidants and Vitamin C.
Despite the complexity of its flavors, this Thai soup is actually not difficult to make. Here's a recipe:
Tom Kha Gai
2 cups soup broth, can be veg or chicken
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
4 or 5 2 inch pieces fresh lemongrass, crushed to release flavor
1 inch cube galangal (type of ginger, if you can't find this specifically you can use regular ginger) thinly sliced
4 tablespoons fish sauce, use the Thai kind which is lighter than the Chinese kind
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 oz chicken breast thinly sliced
1 cup coconut milk
Several small red Thai chili peppers, slightly crushed (to taste)
Cilantro leaves finely chopped for garnish
Heat the stock, add the lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal(ginger), fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and coconut milk, then the chili peppers. Bring to boil again over med. heat. Lower the heat to keep it simmering and cook for about 2 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through). Garnish individual servings with sprinkling of fresh cilantro.
Guaranteed this soup will make you feel better about life, whether you are sick or not!!!
