Adventures in Asian Cooking

With Winter failing to let up this February, I was in the mood for something nourishing and warm last night. And I was in the mood to go on a little journey--a little adventure with spice 'round the way to Thailand. I decided to make an asian noodle soup that was Bon Appetit's 2008 Dish of the Year (I'm only 14 months over due!)--spicy curry noodle with chicken and sweet potato--and oh, be still my heart. This is one you'll want to make yourself. The amazing thing about this dish is that it is chicken noodle soup with the volume turned way up. It is warm, but yet at the same time, the flavors are really fresh. And while it is spicy, the heat is not overwhelming. You can actually taste the lemongrass and the cilantro and all the different flavors working together and individually too.

Now, I adapted the recipe slightly to cut fat and make it a bit healthier, and I think you'll find that it is rich, spicy and a steaming bowl of happiness (albeit in DC not Thailand) either way!


Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato
adapted from Bon Appetit
6 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (you can use canned lemongrass found in the International section at the grocery store, or fresh would work)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon hot chili or pepper paste (you may find this amongst Italian food, like I did)
2 13.5- to 14-ounce cans unsweetened light coconut milk (you can also use regular, but I think the light is just as rich)
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups snow peas, trimmed
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled red-skinned sweet potato (yam; from about 1 large)
1 pound dried rice vermicelli noodles or rice stick noodles (you could also use rice)
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced (recipe calls for chicken thighs, so you can use either. Whatever you've got in the fridge will work)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 red jalapeño or fresno chiles or if you can find them 3 Thai bird chiles, thinly sliced with seeds (I could not find Thai bird chiles this week at my store)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in curry paste, curry powder, and chili paste. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk (scooped from thick liquid at top of can). Stir until thick and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar; bring broth to boil. Keep warm.

Cook snow peas in large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Using strainer, remove peas from pot; rinse under cold water to cool. Place peas in medium bowl. Bring water in same pot back to boil. Add sweet potato and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Using strainer, remove sweet potato from pot and rinse under cold water to cool. Place in small bowl. Bring water in same pot back to boil and cook noodles until just tender but still firm to bite, about 6 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl.

Bring broth to simmer. Add chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add sweet potato; stir to heat through, about 1 minute. Heat noodles in microwave in 30-second intervals to rewarm. Cut noodles with scissors if too long. Divide noodles among bowls. Divide snow peas and hot soup among bowls. Scatter red onion, green onions, cilantro, and chiles over soup. Garnish with lime wedges and serve. ENJOY!