Thai-Spiced Chicken Soup

Thai red curry paste is a mixture of red chili peppers, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, salt, shrimp paste, and Kaffir lime zest. Fish sauce is a salty condiment and, much like soy sauce, a flavoring in Thai cuisine; it is made from fermented fish.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen cross-cut green beans, thawed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground dried coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon ground anise seed
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Optional: Fresh cilantro, minced

1. Add the oil, carrots, celery, and onion to the slow cooker; stir to coat the vegetables in the oil. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic; cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.
2. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Add to the slow cooker along with all of the remaining ingredients except for the fresh cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Taste for seasoning, and add more Thai red curry paste (if you think the soup needs more heat) or more fish sauce (if you think the soup needs more salt). Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle each serving with minced fresh cilantro if desired.