Yum Jin Gai

Ingredients

• 1 whole small chicken, legs and breasts removed, carcass reserved
• 2 small dried hot chilies
• 1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seed
• 1/4 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 whole long pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 star anise pod
• 1 mace, or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 a cinnamon stick
• 4 pods Thai black cardamom, inner seeds only, or 1 pod green cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon Thai shrimp paste
• 3 thin slices galangal
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom 4 inches only, bruised multiple times with the dull side of a knife blade
• 2 whole shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 4 ounces button mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• Fish sauce
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. Put the chicken pieces and the carcass in a pot, then add enough cold water to rise 2 inches above them. Set the pot over high heat and bring it up to a boil. Lower the heat so the liquid gently simmers, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the breasts reads 145 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Lift out the breasts and set them aside. Continue simmering the legs until fully tender, about 45 minutes longer, adding water as needed so the chicken stays covered. Move the legs to the same bowl as the breasts and let everything cool. Throw away the carcass.
2. As the broth simmers, place the dried chilies, coriander, Sichuan peppercorns, long pepper, cloves, star anise, mace, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper in a wok. Toast over medium heat, stirring and tossing the spices the whole time, until they smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. Tip them into a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush to a fine powder. Clean out the wok. Work the shrimp paste into the ground spices with a fork until the mixture is even.
3. Once the chicken has finished cooking, put the galangal and lemongrass into the broth and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer and reserve it. Pull the chicken from the bones into bite-sized pieces, then discard the bones.
4. Pour the oil into the empty wok and warm it over high heat until it shimmers. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring now and then, until they take on a little color, about 8 minutes. Stir in the shallots and spice mixture, and cook, stirring the whole time, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the strained broth and the chicken pieces. Bring the soup to a simmer, stir in the cilantro, and season to taste with fish sauce and salt. Serve immediately.