When cooking this soup from Northeast Thailand, my grandmother would use as little water as necessary because she said the natural water in the vegetables gives soup a delicious taste. This is the secret that differentiates Kang Oom Kai from other soups. The fragrance of the soup is so good, you never forget it.

INGREDIENTS:

7 oz. boneless chicken breast (sliced into 1 inch squares)
3 each dried chili peppers
1 tbsp. galanga (small slices - may use ginger as a substitute)
2 tbsp. shallot (sliced)
2 tbsp. lemongrass (sliced)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup water
½ cup sweet basil
½ cup fresh shiitake mushroom (other mushrooms may be substituted)
1 cup yellow squash (sliced)
½ cup green beans (cut into 2 inch lengths)
¼ cup scallions (sliced into 2 inch lengths)

PREPARATION:

1. Put dried chili peppers, galanga, lemongrass, shallots and salt into a mortar and using a pestle, mix them together until they are well blended. If a mortar and pestle are not available, a blender may be used.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot using a medium high heat setting, then put the mix above into the pot and stir for a few minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken into the pot, and stir constantly for about 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil.
4. After the water is boiling, add the fish sauce, light soy sauce and vegetables (except the basil and scallions) into the pot.
5. Boil for approximately 5 minutes until vegetables are soft and tender. Then add the basil and scallions, and turn off the heat. Add additional fish sauce to your taste, if desired.

Makes 3 servings