tom"khaa'kai

Ingredients:
 2 lbs. chicken
 1 can coconut milk (13.5 ozs)
 12 slices of young galangal root
 8 pieces of lemon grass (cut in 1" long)
 1 canned straw mushroom (could be sub. by American mushroom)
 3 tablespoon of fish sauce
 3 limes
 10 green peppers
 3 tablespoons of cut cilantro (coriander)

  
Procedures:
 Cut the chicken in slices, about 2"x1"x1/4"; put 1 1/2 cups of water
in the pot and bring it to boil; add galangal and lemon grass; add chicken
and when it is quite cooked add coconut milk; don't overcook it as the
coconut would turn too oily; add mushroom.
 Prepare three soup cups; crush the peppers and put in the bowls as
much as needed (could be one to four); cut the limes in wedges; divide the
chicken and its stock in the bowls; add fish sauce and lemon juice to the
taste; top the hot soup with coriander which is semi-finely cut. Serve
it with white steamed rice.....
 The taste should be a combination of being salty, sour, and hot.

For laab", I don't have time for it now but basic ingredients are meat (grouded
beef or pork or chicken or fish), lemon juice, grinded roasted rice, red onion,
green onion, coriander, bai-yii"raa- (some call it phak'chii-farang),
and some side dish of fresh vegetable (sting bean, napa, lettuce, coriander,
basil, etc.); casually cook the meat, rinse away the oil, add lemon juice,
fish sauce, and pepper (could be power or fresh green pepper), taste if it
is right (the combination of salty, sour, and hot), add roasted rice powder,
sliced red onion, green onion, and coriander. Eat with sticky rice and
fresh vegetable.