Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/4  pound         soba noodles or- dried thin spaghetti
   2      teaspoons     coconut milk
   2      cups          chicken broth
   1                    lemongrass stalk -- (no leaves) cut into
                        -- 1-inch lengths
   4      slices        fresh galangal -- (thin slices) or
                        -- ginger
   3      tablespoons   fish sauce
   1      tablespoon    curry powder -- (or more)
   2      teaspoons     grated lime peel -- (or finely minced)
   2      tablespoons   lime juice
   4                    hot red chiles seeded and slivered -- -or-
   2      teaspoons     - Chinese chile sauce
   4                    chicken breast halves -- (skinless and
                        -- boneless)
   1      tablespoon    oriental sesame oil
   8                    button mushrooms
                        salt -- to taste
                        cilantro sprigs -- for garnish

Preparation:

ADVANCE PREPARATION: Bring 5 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add the noodles and cook until just tender in the center, about 5 minutes. Immediately drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Mix in the cooking oil and set aside. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the coconut milk, broth, lemongrass, galangal or ginger, fish sauce, curry powder, lime peel and juice, and chiles or chile sauce. Set aside. Cut the chicken into very thin bite-size pieces, then mix with the sesame oil. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside. LAST-MINUTE COOKING: Bring the soup to a simmer and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and stir gently with a spoon to separate the pieces. Then add the mushrooms, noodles and salt. Turn into a soup tureen or individual bowls and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve at once. Serves: 4 as an entree, or 6 to 8 as the soup course. Source: "Chopstix" by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison ISBN: 1-55670-133-0