Thai Chicken Curry Soup 

Ingredients: Four cups chicken stock, Five cloves garlic, peeled and cut into large chunks, Two inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into large chunks, One Tablespoon Thai green curry paste, Two Teaspoons whole coriander seeds, One Teaspoon whole cumin seeds, One teaspoon whole black peppercorns, One cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus additional one half cup chopped for garnish, One cup unsweetened coconut milk, One cup thinly sliced shallots, One cup sliced mushrooms, Two boneless chicken breasts, cut into quarter inch strips, Two tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla), Three tablespoons fresh lime juice, Two teaspoons brown sugar, One jalapeño, chopped fine (optional), One small tomato, seeded and diced, for garnish, One half cup freshly shaved coconut or unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, for garnish.

Preparation: In a large heavy-bottom pot over high heat, combine chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain broth over a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Return broth to pot; add coconut milk, shallots, mushrooms and chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and jalapeño, if desired; stir until sugar is dissolved, then add mixture to soup. Simmer for five additional minutes. Garnish with tomato, coconut shavings and cilantro; serve hot.