Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
4 lemongrass stalks, pale parts only, crushed with the flat side of a knife
1 head celery, stalks rinsed and roughly chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and minced (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut widthwise into 1/4-inch strips
3 tablespoons fish sauce
6 cups unsalted fresh chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/4 cup coconut milk
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup whole Thai basil leaves, or regular basil

Directions
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass and sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, onions and chiles, if using, and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the fish sauce and stock, stir, bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by one fifth, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and lemon juice and stir. Add the basil and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve.

©2010 Ming Tsai – Taken from Simply Ming One-Pot Meals used with permission from Kyle Books

Cook’s Notes – from Simply Ming One-Pot Meals
Fish Sauce
This Southeast Asian staple, called nam pla in Thailand and noc mam in Vietnam, is made from salted and fermented anchovies and is used as often as the Chinese use soy sauce. I prefer the Thai Three Crab brand, which has a clean sea taste and less sweetness than other brands I’ve tried. Once opened, keep fish sauce in the fridge.