Bowl of Coconut Chicken Soup with Noodles and Fresh Lime

Chicken noodle soup

Name: Chicken noodle soup
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil; 150g red curry paste (see below); 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts; 400g coconut milk; 600ml vegetable or chicken stock; 3-5 lime leaves; a pinch brown sugar, or to taste; 2-4 tsp fish sauce, or to taste; lime juice, to taste; 4 nests rice noodles, cooked and drained; small bunch coriander, leaves picked, stalks chopped; 1⁄2 small bunch thai basil or mint, leaves picked; a handful bean sprouts, cooked following pack instructions; 225g tin bamboo shoots, drained; 50g mangetout, finely sliced; 1 carrot, finely sliced; 1 lime, cut into wedges; 2 tbsp coconut cream, loosened with water for drizzling (optional); 4 spring onions, shredded; 1 red chill, shredded; 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped; 1 tsp white peppercorns; 10-15 long red chillies, chopped; 4 round shallots, peeled and chopped; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 5 cloves garlic; 25g galangal, peeled and chopped; 2 tsp shrimp paste, or 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 lime, zested

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time45 mins
Easy
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
150g red curry paste (see below)
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
400g coconut milk
600ml vegetable or chicken stock
3-5 lime leaves
a pinch brown sugar, or to taste
2-4 tsp fish sauce, or to taste
lime juice, to taste

TOPPINGS

4 nests rice noodles, cooked and drained
small bunch coriander, leaves picked, stalks chopped
1⁄2 small bunch thai basil or mint, leaves picked
a handful bean sprouts, cooked following pack instructions
225g tin bamboo shoots, drained
50g mangetout, finely sliced
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 tbsp coconut cream, loosened with water for drizzling (optional)
4 spring onions, shredded
1 red chill, shredded

RED CURRY PASTE (MAKES ABOUT 350G)

1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tsp white peppercorns
10-15 long red chillies, chopped
4 round shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
5 cloves garlic
25g galangal, peeled and chopped
2 tsp shrimp paste, or 1 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime, zested

Method

STEP 1
To make the red curry paste, pound the lemongrass stalk and peppercorns using a large pestle and mortar. Add the chillies and shallots, and continue to pound into a paste. Add the coriander stalks, spices, garlic and galangal, and pound again until well combined. Stir in the shrimp paste or fish sauce, and lime zest. Alternatively, crush the peppercorns and lemongrass, then tip everything into a blender and blitz to a paste. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for up to a week, or frozen for up to three months.
STEP 2
Heat the coconut oil in large pan and fry the curry paste for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in the chicken and tip in the coconut milk, stock and lime leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 mins or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Remove the chicken to a board and shred or slice into bite-sized pieces. Stir the chicken back through the soup, then check for seasoning, adding the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice to taste, if needed. The broth should be hot, sour, salty and spicy.
STEP 3
Divide the cooked noodles between four warmed deep bowls, and ladle in the broth and chicken. Scatter over the herbs, bean sprouts, mangetout and carrot, squeeze over the lime wedges, drizzle with some coconut cream, if using, and sprinkle with the spring onions and chilli to serve.