Recipe of the week: Chiang Mai curried noodles
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Ultimate home-cooking comfort food!
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 heaped tbsp good-quality red curry paste
2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk
800ml chicken stock
650g chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
3 tbsp hot curry powder
2 long dried red chillies
2½ tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
1 tsp fresh lime juice
65-70g egg noodles per head (about a ‘nest’ each), uncooked weight
To garnish
Crispy egg noodles
4 Thai shallots or 2 regular shallots, peeled and sliced
Lime wedges
Extra nam pla (fish sauce)
Nam prik pao (roasted chilli paste)
Fermented mustard greens (can be found in cans or vacuum packs in most Asian supermarkets)
Method
1: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and stir-fry until golden brown, then add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant – no more than 30 seconds to one minute. Add half of the coconut milk and stir gently until the paste dissolves into it. Then add the rest of the coconut milk and the stock, and allow to bubble gently until the sauce starts to reduce and to thicken slightly.
2: Add the chicken, stirring it into the sauce. Then add the turmeric, curry powder, dried chillies, nam pla and lime juice, stirring them in well. Turn down the heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes.
3: Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain, then place each portion of noodles into a bowl.
4: To make the crispy egg noodle garnish, soak a coil or two of egg noodles as per packet instructions. Drain and dry them well on some paper towel. Heat some oil for deep-frying. Gently lower the noodles a handful at a time into the hot oil and gently fry until crisp, turning with tongs. Remove from the oil and drain on fresh paper towels. Then, fry each batch again until they turn golden. Drain well and serve on top.
5: Spoon the curry generously over the top of the noodles and serve with the garnish ingredients on the side.
Baan: Recipes And Stories From My Thai Home by Kay Plunkett-Hogge, photography by Louise Hagger, is published by Pavilion Books, priced £20. Available now.
