Hot & Sour Coconut Soup

Simple soup with great flavour. Adapted from Wine, Food & Friends by Karen MacNeil. Serve with a crusty buns. Karen recommends serving this with a crisp and aromatic Gewurztraminer or Dry Riesling

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup fresh ginger, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3  teaspoons garlic, minced
• 2 -3  teaspoons lemongrass (herb paste)
• 3 (10 ounce) cans chicken broth, fat-free low sodium
•  cooking spray
• 8 -12  ounces chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
• 8  ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1  cup light coconut milk
• 1  tablespoon fish sauce
• 2  teaspoons  chili paste (sombel oelek)
• 1  cup sugar snap pea, halved crosswise
• 1⁄3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2  tablespoons lime juice

Directions

1. Place first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. Return infused broth to pan.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat/ coat with cooking spray and add chicken. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Remove from pan.
4. Add mushrooms to pan, saute 5 minutes or until tender.
5. Add chicken, mushrooms, coconut milk, fish sauce and chili paste to broth in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
6. Add peas; cook 3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat; stir in basil and lime juice.