Guaranteed to lift the spirits and banish those January chills, this classic Thai hot and sour chicken soup will power you through the last dark days of winter
January again. Too many pounds on the hips and not enough in the bank. The answer, as in many situations, lies in chicken soup – and you can trust me on this, I’m Jewish. For almost every culture has their own version of it: to banish colds, lift the spirit, soothe cold, tired bones. This classic Thai hot and sour soup is utterly invigorating. It will wake up your nervous system and digestion, make you tingle to your very (cold) fingertips and power you through the rest of the month with its hot, sour heat. To turn it into a whole meal, cook noodles directly into it for the last few minutes, or if you are being extremely healthy, make courgette ribbons using a vegetable peeler to slice them finely lengthways and add for a minute at the end.
Thai hot and sour soup
Feeds 4
4 chicken thighs
Dash of oil
4 lime leaves, roughly torn
2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 5cm pieces and crushed
2 slices galangal or ginger
2 bird’s eyes chillies, finely sliced
1 tbsp palm sugar
Juice of 1½ limes
2 tbsp fish sauce
Handful of coriander or Thai basil leaves, torn, to serve
Add the chicken thighs, lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal to a large saucepan. Cover with 1 litre of water.
Bring to a boil, skimming any scum off the surface and then simmer for 1-1 ½ hours. Remove chicken skin and discard, then add the chillies and simmer for another couple of minutes.
Take off the heat and stir in the sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Shred the chicken, discard bones and return meat to soup. Taste for seasoning, and then pour into bowls. Garnish with coriander or basil and serve immediately.
Joanna Weinberg has written cookery columns for The Times, Red and currently Conde Nast Traveller. She runs Kitchen Table Cookery School at The Talbot Inn, Mells, Somerset
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