Tom Yum for the Westerner

My friend Ben (the culinary genius) happened to catch quite the nasty cold from me, so we decided to make some soup to ease both of our tickled throats. This recipe originates from SELF magazine, but was found on Epicurious... Ben and I despise some of the vegetables used in the original recipe (snap peas, bell peppers), so we substituted. And to be totally honest, you can use whichever vegetables you enjoy most.

This soup is spicy and sour, like the typical southeast asian Tom Yum, but it also has very western qualities (such as the use of celery). It's light, refreshing, and perfect for a summer evening.

1 can (48 oz) nonfat chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp Asian chili sauce (or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (or more! depending on your tastes)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut in 8 slices
3/4 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut in thin 3-inch-long strips
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (or white button mushrooms)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 tsp lime zest
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the broth on medium-high heat and add the soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, brown sugar, and lime juice. After 10 minutes, add the chicken and let cook covered for another 10 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and keep cooking until the chicken looks fully cooked. Then add the mushrooms and lime zest and lower the heat to low. Add the cilantro after taking the soup off the heat, and let it sit for a few minutes. Serve warm. You can add thin rice noodles if you'd like, but make sure to cook them separately and add them to the soup upon serving.

I added a bit of lemon juice at the end, but Ben did not. Once again, it's a matter of preference.
Enjoy!
-ILR