It’s really easy nowadays to create authentic tasting Thai curries and broths with very, very little effort. Obviously, you can’t beat the real deal, and there is nothing better than a homemade curry paste to really inject your food with fresh, full and pungent flavours.
But, for a mid-week dinner to rustle up after a long day a work, Thai curries are one of my super easy, quick, no-fuss dinners to whirl together in next to no time. The classic Thai red/Thai green flavours are delicious with chicken, king prawns or just veggies. I either serve them with steamed basmati rice or very thin rice noodles (the noodle version is more like a broth as opposed to a curry – the perfect warming dish for a cold, wintery night).
I like to add lots of fresh chilli, ginger, lemongrass, basil/coriander and lime juice to really give the flavours a boost, without too much effort.
Here is the recipe for my classic Thai Chicken Noodle Broth, which serves 2 and takes about 30 mins from wok to bowl.
Thai Chicken Noodle Broth
What you need:
- 2 skinless free-range chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 red chillies, finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
- 1 3cm piece of ginger, grated
- 2 fresh limes
- 1 stalk lemongrass, outer layer removed
- a teaspoon of fish sauce
- handful of fresh coriander (leaves removed and stalks finely chopped)
- 1 400ml can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons Thai Red curry paste (I use Taste Thai which you can get in most supermarkets and some delis)
- 2 nests of rice noodles (I use Sainsbury’s)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- prawn crackers, to serve
What to do:
- Heat the coconut oil in a large wok over a high heat. Once melted, add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly brown on the outside
- Add the sliced garlic, half of the sliced chilli and all of the chopped coriander stalks and continue to stir fry for another minute
- Once the ingredients start to release their fragrance, add the curry paste and continue to stir, coating all of the chicken
- Add the fish sauce and stir-fry for another minute whilst you bash the lemongrass stalk with the handle end of a knife to help release its fragrance
- Add the tin of coconut milk and the bashed lemongrass to the wok, and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer
- Simmer the broth for about 8-10 mins until the chicken is cooked through
- Whilst your curry broth is simmering, prepare the rice noodles as per the packet instructions (I use Sainsbury’s nests of rice noodles which cook in 3 mins)
- Drain the noodles and divide them into 2 warm bowls
- Take the broth off the heat and remove the lemongrass stalk. Squeeze in the juice of one whole lime and stir well
- Use a ladle to divide the broth into the two bowls of noodles
- Top the bowls with the rest of the sliced red chilli and finely chopped coriander leaves
- Serve with prawn crackers, and a wedge of lime!
Hope you enjoy this one! Sophie -x-
