1 tablespoon Thai red chili paste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound chicken breasts cut into thin strips (easier to cut if partially frozen)
4 cups chicken stock
3 bay leaves
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into 4 chunks
3 stalks lemongrass *
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 13 oz. can, can quality coconut milk (I like Chaokoh)
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup lime juice or juice of 2 limes
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Siracha/hot chili sauce to taste
lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
cilantro
green onions
fresh basil
lime juice
Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium high heat. Add red chili paste, red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add chicken and saute until opaque but not cooked through. Add chicken stock, bay leaves, ginger, lemongrass, basil, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low; cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Simmer a couple minutes until bell peppers are crisp tender. When ready to serve, ladle out lemongrass stalks, bay leaves and ginger chunks. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and Sriracha to taste. Garnish individual bowls with fresh cilantro, green onions, fresh basil and fresh lime juice.