Moan Sngao Ngam Ngov - Chicken & pickled lime soup
Chicken soup meets its new best friend, the delightfully sour pickled lime
Yield: 4 serves
Materials
- 2 meaty chicken frames
- 4 pickled limes
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 slices galangal
- 2 teaspoons salt
- .5 tablespoon palm sugar
- .5 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3.5 cups water
- 3 coriander (cilantro) roots
- 2 spring onions for serving
- coriander leaves for serving
- cooking oil as needed
Instructions
- Cut the chicken frames into medium-sized pieces.
- Wash and cut the spring onion into small pieces or your preferred length for garnish. Do the same with the coriander leaves.
- Wash coriander roots thoroughly, and lightly smash.
- Peel garlic. Wash and thinly slice the galangal.
- Cut the pickled limes into halves.
- Using a heavy soup pot, fry the chicken pieces in just enough oil to keep them from sticking. When they're beginning to brown, remove and drain the oil.
- In the residual oil, fry the garlic, coriander roots, and galangal until you begin to smell their fragrance.
- Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Add chicken pieces back in, as well as the salt, palm sugar, and fish sauce.
- Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and leave for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the cover, add pickled limes, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with coriander leaves and spring onions. Serve with a side of steamed rice and a dipping sauce (see Kitchen Notes).