Ko Chang/Thailand - Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Cream and Lemon Grass

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This is an intensely flavoured soup that, unlike many western style soups, doesn't require hours of cooking for the flavours to develop. It tastes best eaten immediately and that suits me just fine!

1 400 ml can coconut cream

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (make your own or try to find a salt reduced one)

2 cups water

2 stalks lemon grass, smashed with a rolling pin but left whole

2 cm piece fresh ginger, smashed with a rolling pin

3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

500 g skinned and boned chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

200 g small button mushrooms

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped (add more if you like it hot)

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Place the coconut cream, stock, water, lemon grass, ginger and kaffir lime leaves into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. If desired strain the mixture and remove the lemon grass, kaffir lime and ginger. I leave them in for the remaining cooking time but do let your guests know that they're not expected to each these bits – they're for flavour only.

To this fragrant broth, add the chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms and chilli to the saucepan. Simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Add the lime juice and fish sauce.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the coriander.

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