Redoux Again!

Last Monday three of my favorite women met me for a lunch and major catch up on things that have been happening in their lives.   When we lived next door to each other we always knew what was going on with each other.  As it happens so often,  life takes a different path for everyone and sometimes those paths don't intersect for too many years.  Fortunately we all agreed on a time and place and the gabfest was on.

We ate at Surin 280 and each had the beef salad lunch.  The salad was very good but it was not what I thought was the standout food of the meal.  I am a sucker for the coconut soup there and decided that is what I wanted to try and redo this week.

                                                      Coconut Soup Mostly Like Surin 

1 box chicken broth (make sure it is salted)

1/4 teaspoon ginger paste*

1/2 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon lemongrass paste

1/4 teaspoon cilantro paste

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup thinly sliced cooked chicken

3/4 can of coconut milk

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot chili oil ( Start with the lesser amount and increase to your personal heat level)

Heat the chicken broth to boiling and add the herb pastes stirring well after each addition.  Add the mushrooms and chicken.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 2 minutes.  Stir the coconut milk well to blend and add about 1/2 of it (Taste at this time and see if you want to add the additional coconut or not)  When all the coconut milk is added add the juice of 1/2 lime and the hot chili oil.  Stir well and ladle into bowls making sure each bowl has chicken bits and mushrooms ( They will sink to the bottom of the  pot).

This is not an exact copy but it is dang close to the soup at Surin.  They have little cubes of tofu, but I was not willing to open a new pack for the 1/4 cup it would have taken.  Since I had a cooked chicken breast I used it instead.  Also Surin typically has 2 mushrooms slices in each bowl.  I like them and wanted more in ours, hence the half cup.  * A while back I bought several tubes of herbs in little tubes at Publix.  They live in my freezer and I use them for soups and stews.  On the occasion I need lemongrass I substitute the paste.  Since I didn't want garlic or ginger bits in the soup I used the paste also, and the coriander was just convenience.  I am sure fresh would taste better but I wanted this to be a fast meal.  In total it took about 10 minutes from start to finish! 

 I am very happy because there is enough left over for me to eat two days at lunch this week.

And  I am especially happy to have friends like Layla, Hala and Noha!  Y'all are fabulous and I can't wait till next time!