This is one of my favourite soups. I love any kind of Thai food, I think the flavours and tastes are amazing and this winter soup really is quite delicious.  The beauty of it is that it is totally versatile and although I have used Mushrooms as my main vegetable, you can change this depending on what is available, for example I’ve tried it with asparagus and it worked really well.  The final little squeeze of lime juice is excellent but only add at the end otherwise you will split the soup.

Spicy Thai paste

4 spring onions chopped

1 fresh red chilli (deseeded and chopped)

Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 tsp lime juice

3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter

1 tbsp. muscovado sugar

The Soup

2 chicken breasts thinly sliced

500g sliced mushrooms

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 spring onions thinly sliced

1 x 400g coconut milk

400g chicken stock

2 tsp fish sauce

1 lemon grass stock bashed

Coriander & lime to serve

Method

1. To make the paste, place all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until they are finely chopped.
2. Spoon 2 tbsp of the paste into a small bowl, tip in the chicken and toss to coat.
3. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large frying pan and quickly fry for around 3 minutes until cooked through.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Heat the final tbsp of oil and fry the spring onions, mushrooms and remaining paste for a minute. Pour the coconut milk and stock into the mixture.
5. Finally add the fish sauce and bashed lemon grass.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the chicken and simmer for a final 5 minutes.
7. Serve with some coriander leaves and a slice of lime just before eating (remember to remove the lemon grass!)