Farewell Massachusetts, Hello Thailand!

The other night I was craving thai food from my favorite thai restaurant in Northampton, Massachusetts. If this were to happen any other night last semester, I could just call them and request a pick-up of one order of chicken pad thai (extra hot sauce) and an order of their amazing chicken coconut soup. In fact, if I were to treat myself and eat out every weekend, there would be no other place I'd choose than Thai Garden. The environment is clean and friendly, and well, their food is absolutely amazing. Northampton, nestled in the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, is known especially for their unique and diverse selection of cuisine. Main St. is mostly composed of restaurants ranging from japanese, thai, italian, vegetarian, argentinean, mediterranean, tibetan, mexican, american, and indian cuisine. Although I find these restaurants tasty, (yes, I've been to all...) there is nothing more satisfying than ordering my favorite noodle dish and coconut soup. Since I have recently moved from Northampton to the Windy City (I transferred from Smith College to Loyola University Chicago), this particular want for my regular thai dish has intensified tremendously. I decided I would attempt to make the chicken coconut soup in my own kitchen. I ended up adding a couple more ingredients, but in the end, it would turn out to taste exactly the same. Delicious!

I used the ingredients I had recently bought from the grocery store: the can of coconut milk, lemon, water chestnuts, mushrooms, potatoes, cilantro, and a chicken breast filet. After chopping the mushrooms, potatoes, and cilantro, the instruction for creating the soup becomes even simpler. So, if you're a novice, this simple yet scrumptious thai soup would be a great beginning! Heat the coconut milk in a medium size saucepan. Then, add the lemon juice (so, squeeze the lemon...) for some zesty flavor. Next, add the sliced chicken. By this time the coconut milk should be relatively hot, so when you add the raw chicken you'll notice it starting to cook right away. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and potatoes. If you think the consistency of the coconut broth is too thick, feel free to add a tiny bit of water. Now, you have created your very own thai dish! Finish by dressing your soup with cilantro and, if you have it, coconut flakes.

Although I miss Thai Garden very much, I know now I can make my very own chicken coconut soup. Perhaps I can find a similar thai restaurant in Chicago that can satisfy my weekly craving for chicken pad thai! If not, I'm sure I'll have to eventually test that out in the kitchen as well!

So if you are in or around the Northampton area, please check out Thai Garden and have a bowl of the chicken coconut soup for me! To view their menu click here.

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