Thai Red Curry Noodles

I've hit a roadblock with embroidery designing. My last larger pattern was Madame Butterfly. Since then, I've done some small freebies, which people enjoy. But the bigger ideas aren't coming to me. When that happens, I put my needle and thread away and head to the kitchen. Recipe ideas flow without any effort. They continuously pop into my head, before I go to sleep, on long walks with my beagle, while brushing my teeth. I write them down because I can't keep up. I cook up a storm. That's my process. It's a bit insane with lots of messes in the kitchen. But I am not one without the other. My cooking and sewing fuel each other.
   
I love Southeast Asian rice noodle bowls. They're light, lively and refreshing. Here, chewy noodles mingle with creamy coconut milk, perky ginger and red curry paste. They float in a light broth infused with lime juice and basil. It's spicy, but not overpowering.

      

It's not complicated to cook either. Lot of fresh vegetables are tossed into a pot with a few other ingredients. There's no sauteing or fancy techniques. This recipe is a nice choice for summertime, when eggplant, basil and tomatoes are at their peak. Full of vitamins, omegas and minerals, this noodle dish is nutritious and delicious. It will leave you content and happy, but not stuffed. I love to serve the noodles with crunchy bean sprouts and a thinly sliced red fresno chili pepper. The taste of these Thai noodles is authentic and pure. Take a trip to your local farmstand or your backyard garden for fresh produce and try this lovely recipe.

Thai Red Curry Noodles Recipe

Serves 4-5

Some Notes & Tips

The trick to making this dish taste authentic is finding a good curry paste.  I've tried several brands. Some are tasteless. Some are bitter. Maesri is my favorite. It's well rounded with tropical flavor and nice heat level. Made in Thailand, Maesri comes in small cans for convenience. I find it in my local market that has a large Asian section. It can also be found online and in most Asian supermarkets. 

Rapunzel bouillon is my go-to veggie bouillon for its clean taste. Oh how I love it! I find it at Whole Foods or buy it online at Amazon. It's a lifesaver for quick soups like this one. It is easy to store and tastes like homemade stock. But you can swap it and the water for 8 cups of your favorite broth or stock.

If you're in the mood for rice instead of noodles, steam some Jasmine rice and serve it with the soup. Chinese noodles will work too.

The tomato is optional. In summertime, a juicy tomato is wonderful in this soup.

I use a microplane zester to grate the ginger directly into the soup pot.

Keeping the rice noodles separate from the broth ensures they'll stay al dente.

Ingredients

• 16-ounces of rice noodles
• 1 large eggplant or 3 small ones, peeled and diced
• 3 cups of diced broccoli or zucchini  
• A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 large handful of torn or chopped Thai or regular basil. 
• 2 limes
• 1 bunch of scallions (about 5-6) diced. Reserve the dark green part for serving
• 1 medium ripe tomato, diced (optional but very good) 
• 2-4 teaspoons of Thai red curry paste. I use 2 generous teaspoons of Maesri brand (see notes for information). 
• 8 vegetable bouillon cubes. I use one package of Rapunzel No Salt Vegan Bouillon.
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk.
• 8 cups of water
• Soy sauce to taste
• Salt to taste

To Serve: bean sprouts, sliced red chili pepper

Instructions

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Rinse them in cold water, drain well and set aside. You may want to toss them with a little oil to help them from sticking together. Be careful not to overcook. They should be al dente.

Put 8 cups of water in a soup pot along with the ginger, red curry paste and bouillon cubes. Bring to a gentle boil and season with salt and soy sauce to taste. Stir in the eggplant and simmer, covered, until it has started to soften. Once the eggplant has softened, toss in the broccoli (or zucchini) and the white and light green parts of the scallions. Simmer until the broccoli (or zucchini) is tender crisp. Stir in the coconut milk and tomato and cook for about a minute. Take off the heat and finish with lots of fresh basil, a couple of squeezes of lime juice, some of the reserved dark green scallion and bean sprouts (if using). Place some of the rice noodles in large bowls and ladle the hot soup over them. Serve with additional lime wedges.

Bon Appetit!