Spicy Thai Curry Chicken Soup

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On a blistery cold winter’s night soup becomes my comfort food and this Thai Curry Chicken Soup with sweet potato surely did the trick. I consider this an easy recipe with one caveat–you may need to invest in an array of Asian spices that you might not typically find in your pantry such as Thai Curry Paste, Nam Pla or Nuoc Nam Fish Sauce, and all kinds of chilis. But trust me, once you have these exotic flavors as part of your repertoire you will search for more Thai recipes to explore the seductive flavors of this cuisine. 

Thai Chicken Curry Soup.jpgSpicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato
Bon Appetit Best of the Year (2008)
Recipe from MAI PHAM of Lemon Grass restaurant Sacramento
Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced lemon grass (from bottom 4 inches of about 3 stalks, touch outer leaves discarded)
  • 2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
  • 2  13.5 – 14 ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk, divided
  • 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 (1-2 potatoes)
  • 1 pound dried rice vermicelli noodles or rice stick noodles
  • 3/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onioin
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 red Thai bird chilies or 2 red jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced with seeds
  • 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Directions

  1. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low.
  2. Stir in curry paste, curry powder, and chili paste.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk (scooped from the thick liquid at top of can). Stir until thick and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add remaining coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar: bring broth to boil. Keep warm.
  5. NOTE: This can be made 1 day on advance. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep chilled
  6. Cook snow peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove peas form pot, place in a strainer, rinse under cold water to cool. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
  7. In the same large pot, using the existing salted water, add sweet potato and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove potatoes and rinse under cold water to cool. Place in a small bowl and set aside. 
  8. Bring salted water to a boil (add a little more water if need be) and cook noodles until just tender, but still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl.
  9. NOTE: This can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
  10. Bring both to simmer. Add chicken, simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  11. Add sweet potato, stir in to heat through about 1 minute.
  12. Head noodles in microwave in 30-second intervals to warm. Cut noodles with a scissor if too long.

Plating the Dish

  1. Divide Noodles among bowls
  2. Divide Snow peas and hot soup among bowls
  3. Scatter red onion, green onion, cilantro, and chilies over soup.
  4. Garnish with lime wedge and serve.

Check out Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table Cookbook for more enticing Thai recipes by Mai Pham