Thai Coconut Soup

ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 stalk lemon grass, minced
2 teaspoons red curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined OR 1 pound chicken, thinly sliced or cubed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute.
2
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes.
3
Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.
4
Shrimp - Add the shrimp and cook until no longer translucent (about 5 minutes).
5
Chicken - Add in chicken and cook thoroughly.
6
Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantro.