Fragrant Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2" galangal
• 1 1/2" ginger
• 2 stalks lemon grass
• 6-8 Kaffir lime leaves, deveined and cut into pieces
• 4-6 dried shitake mushroom
• 2 chicken breast, boneless, skinless (vegetarians can use firm tofu)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 7 1/2 cups (1800 ml) chicken / vegetable broth
• 2 eggs, beaten lightly (vegetarians can skip and add more vegetables)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced cabbage
Seasoning
• 2 red thai chiliies
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp. Lime juice
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• salt to taste (be mindful of the sodium content in broth)
• 1 tsp white pepper powder
To thicken soup
• ¼ cup cornstarch + same amount of water, mixed
Garnish
• Chopped green onion

Instructions

1. Place the dried shitaki mushrooms in a bowl. Pour boiling water over them and soak for 20 minutes.
2. Blend or process galangal, lemon grass, ginger, lime leaves (optional), until chopped finely.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook galangal mixture, stirring until mixture is fragrant (1-2 minutes).
4. Add stock and chicken breast bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
5. Pick the cooked chicken breast in a bowl and Strain the broth.
6. Shred the chicken meat with two forks.
7. Remove woody ends of the soaked mushrooms, slice thinly.
8. Return fragrant broth to pot.
9. Add, chili, sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, shredded chicken, mushrooms. And bring the soup to a simmer.
10. Remix your cornstarch slurry in the bowl so it’s all combined.
11. Add to the soup and stir until just slightly thickened, a minute or two.  The soup isn’t going to be very thick, just a little cloudy.
12. Keep the soup simmering and pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. The egg will spread and feather.
13. Add cabbage, remove pot from heat.
14. Taste and adjust the amount of seasoning if necessary, then ladle into individual bowls and garnish with green onion.
15. Serve hot.