Coconut-Curry Noodle Soup

The trip to SE Asia is getting more concrete! We’ve finally nailed down a time frame (about 20 days), and we’ve nailed down the countries [Thailand, Cambodia, Laos(?), Vietnam], but haven’t quite figured out the exact route yet. It’s too easy to cram way too much into a trip so that you’re spending more time traveling than actually soaking in the cities and towns.

Has anyone been? Anyone have any suggestions? It’s our first time going to that part of the world. All my travel has been within Europe and North America.

I bring you more things in bowls because I wouldn’t be me otherwise. It makes even more sense that it’s curry. Again. I like curry a lot, obviously. I actually set out with the intention to make it into a soup. I really don’t know what justifies a curry soup vs a normal curry that I just happen to eat like a soup without rice. I’m going to guess it’s the inclusion of chicken stock. I don’t usually go that route because I want it to be as thick as possible. Since I’m too cheap to buy coconut cream, I’ve been adding a cornstarch slurry to the coconut milk in an effort to thicken. It’s worked out alright.

The simplicity of vegetables in curry really seems to make the most sense. Keep it to two or three with your protein. Otherwise it seems like too much is going on, and no dominant flavor takes over. I definitely am guilty of this on more than one occasion — vegetables everywhere! — but I do like it best when I’ve limited what I’ve got.

Spinach and snow peas are fresh and crisp. It’s a good texture for the broth-y coconut milk. Ground chicken took the place of shredded due to laziness, and I always use twice the spice. You can adjust as necessary.

Inspiration: Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 pound (8oz) snow peas, halved
• 1/2 box (7oz) dried rice noodles
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste [use less if you like less spice]
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 pound (8oz) ground chicken
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 scallions [green onion], thinly sliced
• lime, for serving

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spinach and snow peas, allowing them to sit in the water for only 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to a strainer. Keep the water boiling and cook the rice noodles according to their package’s instructions. Add them to the strained spinach and peas. Toss together in a medium sized bowl.

In a pan, brown the ground chicken and set aside. Drain if there seems to be a lot of fat, but there shouldn’t be.

In a large saucepan, heat one tablespoon of coconut oil on medium heat. Add the shallot, stirring to coat in the oil. They’ll lightly brown in about two minutes. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil, the garlic, curry paste, coriander, and turmeric. Allow it to cook and smell awesome for about 30-seconds. Add the stock, and bring it to a boil. Add the coconut milk after three minutes along with the fish sauce and sugar. Let it come back to a boil for about five minutes.

Stir in the chicken, cilantro, and scallions tasting the stock for salt. Pour the mixture over the bowl full of noodles and vegetables. Stir to break up the noodles. Serve in large bowls with lime wedges. Squeeze it over the top before eating slurping.