← Nouns Cooking · Thai

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp Curry powder
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 3 cm piece Ginger, finely grated
• 800 ml full-fat coconut milk (2 tins), unshaken
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 8 chicken drumsticks (or 600 g boneless thighs)
• 1½ tbsp Fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
• 450 g fresh flat egg noodles
• 250 ml oil, for frying the noodle topping
• 4 Asian shallots, cut into small wedges
• 4 tbsp Pickled mustard greens, rinsed and chopped
• 2 Lime, cut into wedges
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• roasted chilli oil, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, ground coriander and ginger and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until very fragrant. Add the thick cream from the top of one tin of coconut milk and fry for 3 min more, until it bubbles and the oil turns red.
2. Add the chicken and turn to coat it in the paste, then pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook for 35–40 min, until the drumsticks are tender and pulling from the bone (at least 75°C / 165°F).
3. Meanwhile make the crispy topping: heat the frying oil in a small pan to about 180°C (350°F). Fry a small handful of the noodles (about 60 g), loosened into a nest, for 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
4. Season the soup with the fish sauce, palm sugar and both soy sauces. Taste: it should be rich, savoury and gently sweet, with warm spice behind the heat.
5. Cook the rest of the noodles in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, until just tender. Drain and divide between deep bowls.
6. Ladle the curry and chicken over the noodles and top with a tangle of crispy noodles. Serve with shallots, pickled mustard greens, lime and coriander for everyone to add as they like, plus chilli oil for heat.

Tips

• The lime and pickled greens aren’t optional extras: their sourness cuts through the coconut and makes the dish.
• Egg noodles contain wheat and egg; most red curry pastes contain shrimp paste.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Rachel Cooks Thai Marion's Kitchen Temple of Thai