Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced lemon grass
2 teaspoons green curry paste (or to taste)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped galangal (similar to gingerroot)
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2-3 Kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
3 cups coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups skinless boneless chicken breast, diced
2 cups canned straw mushrooms, rinsed and drained
1 cup roma tomato, cored and diced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons roughly chopped Thai basil

Directions

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, lemon grass, green curry paste and galangal and sweat (cook over low heat) until shallots are tender. Do not brown. Add the sambal oelek, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves and coconut milk. Bring to a slow simmer and let cook 10 minutes. Strain soup broth through a large holed strainer, pressing out juices from the galangal pieces. Cool and refrigerate until needed.

To serve: Re-heat soup base to a simmer. Add chicken meat, mushrooms, tomatoes and lime juice. Bring soup back to a simmer. Ladle in serving bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro and basil.