Avocado Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup)

We couldn't leave those avocados alone.

Since the California Avocado Commission sent us more avocados than we used for the Coconut Shrimp with Avocado Dip recipe that we made earlier this week for our Recipe Redux food challenge, we decided to make another one. 'Cause avocados are one of our favorite foods.

I decided that the creamy texture of the avocados would work well in this favorite Thai soup. It definitely did. While avocados are native to Mexico, they complement other nationality's foods well. This recipe is really pretty easy--it cooks in under 1/2 hour if you have chicken ready.

Ingredients
2 cans of coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk for one of my cans.)
6 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
4 stalks fresh lemongrass, washed
6 red shallots, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 handfuls of cilantro leaves
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 T fresh galangal or ginger, minced
zest from one lime
1 to 2 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)
3 C cooked chicken, shredded (cooked in 6 C water and used for broth)
1 can bamboo shoots, chopped
3 T fish sauce
2 T lime juice
2 avocados
1 handful of cilantro if desired
6 C of cooked brown rice

Directions
1. In a pot on the stove on medium heat cook, milk, broth, salt, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, coriander, cilantro, peppers, ginger, and zest. Let it all cook together about 15 minutes.

2. Fish out the lemon grass at this point. Add chicken, bamboo shoots, and fish sauce. Cook another 10 minutes. Take off heat.

3. Peel and pit the avocados. Take 1 cup of the broth and pour it into a heat-safe blender or food processor. Add the avocados and blend until creamy.

4. Add the avocado mixture back to the soup. Stir in lime juice and another handful of cilantro if desired.

4. Serve soup over brown rice.

Serves 6.

I received free samples of California Avocado mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Avocado and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.