Tom Gai Kaa Onn (Chicken Coconut Cream Soup)
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
one 4″ piece young galangal or 5″ piece fresh young ginger
9 cloves garlic, minced
15 sprigs cilantro stems with roots, minced (1/4 cup), plus 4 sprigs cilantro
4 stalks lemongrass, green parts and hard outer layers removed, 2 stalks minced, 2 stalks sliced into 3
1 tsp. Thai white peppercorns, dry roasted and finely ground
3 shallots, minced
4 cups fresh unsweetened coconut cream and milk (combined to make consistency of whole milk)
3 pound chicken, rinsed, thoroughly dried, and chopped into bite-size pieces
7 kaffir lime leaves, hard center stems removed, or zest of two limes
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. fish sauce (namm pla)
7 fresh Thai bird chiles or 5-6 serrano chiles
1-2 limes, sliced into wedges
Instructions:
Using a mortar and pestle, pound half of the galangal with the garlic into a paste. One at a time, add the cilantro stems and roots, minced lemongrass, ground peppercorns, and shallots in sequence, adding each new ingredient only after the previous one is pureed and incorporated into a fine paste. Set aside or transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the coconut cream and milk to a gentle boil over medium heat. Do not overheat or it will curdle. Add the galangal paste and stir well, then add the chicken and bring to a boil. Add the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass stalks, sea salt, fish sauce, the remaining galangal and the chiles. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro sprigs, and serve with the lime wedges.
Recipe from Su-Mei Yus Cracking the Coconut (Morrow, 2000).