Chicken in Coconut Soup

The coconut is a versatile fruit for the cook in the kitchen. The fibrous outer shell may be used as a scrubber to scour pots and pans, or to provide a quick-burning high heat fuel. The tough inner shell can be used as a mug or fit a handle and it becomes a ladle. It can serve as a receptacle for the waste products of a kitchen or be the house-cat’s dinner dish. The coconut water inside the shell makes a refreshing drink and is a good companion to rum. It serves as a rehydration drink for a person suffering from "Delhi belly", and in case of dire need may be used as injection fluid.

The dried flesh of the coconut is copra which yields coconut oil. The flesh in its natural state provides a delicious snack when taken with a bite of toddy palm sugar or jaggery. It can be sliced or shredded as a garnish. It can form the base for various confections but it is the coconut cream which is squeezed from the flesh that provides the satisfying flavour to concoctions of all sorts - soups, curries, stews, and an infinite variety of candies and desserts. What follows is a simple but delicious chicken in coconut soup.

• 8 oz sliced boneless chicken meat
• 1 inch knob ginger sliced
• 6 cloves garlic
• 6 roots coriander
• 2 stalks lemon grass
• 6 seeds pepper corns
• 5 pods small green chilies
• 7 leaves lime
• 12 leaves coriander
• 2 cups thick first water of coconut milk
• 2 cups thin second water of coconut milk
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice

Steps to cook

Chop the garlic, coriander roots and lemon grass and put in a mortar, together with the peppercorns and half the ginger, then pound until smooth. Crush the chilies and shred the lime and coriander leaves. Bring half the thick coconut milk to boil, and stir fry for 4-5 minutes. Add chicken, remaining ginger and all the remaining coconut milk and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the chicken is tender, then add the fish sauce, lime juice and chilies. Stir and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a soup tureen and sprinkle the shredded leaves as garnish. Enjoy.

Mya Zin @ http://www.myanmars.net