Kaeng Som Kai Wan (Sweet and Sour Chicken Soup)

This is a variant of Kaeng Som, which is a popular fish
soup that is quite common in Thailand.  Keang Som is
quite sour, and this dish has been given a degree of
sweetness in keeping with making it from chicken.

If you can't find krachai (lesser ginger) then use
ordinary ginger.

About 1-1/2 lb chicken, skinned, filleted, and cut 
               into bite   sized pieces
4 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp ginger, freshly ground
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
3 Tbsp chopped shallots
3 Tbsp krachai (lesser ginger), thinly sliced
3 Tbsp mixed red and green prik chi fa 
      (jalapenos), thinly   sliced or julienned
1 tsp kapi (shrimp paste)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup tamarind juice
1-2 Tbsp palm sugar (to taste)
2 cups very coarsely chopped green vegetables
1 cup pineapple chunks (preferably fresh, not tinned)

Prepare the chicken and then add three tablespoons of
sesame oil and one tablespoon of freshly ground
ginger, mix, and leave to marinate for one hour.

Heat a wok, and then stir fry the chicken in the
marinade until it just starts to change color.

Heat the stock to simmering point, add all the
ingredients except the chicken and pineapple, and
return it to the boil.

Add the chicken and the marinade and simmer until the
chicken is cooked through.  Add the pineapple, bring
to the boil, and then serve.

Note:  This can also be prepared as a stir fry dish
(whence it becomes Pad Som Kai Wan) by simply omitting
the chicken stock.  (If it is a little dry, then add a
couple of tablespoons of stock to the wok).

This dish can be eaten as a soup course; but as I have
remarked before, in Thailand soups are normally eaten
with the other dishes of the dinner rather than before
them.  Therefore, you should use a slotted spoon to
remove the chicken and serve it in individual bowls to
the diners, the soup liquor is then placed in a large
serving bowl, from where they can help themselves (you
can use a fire pot or fondue cooker to keep it hot if
you wish).

Contributed by Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott