Chiang Mai noodles soup

Red curry is one of the classic Thai curries (along with yellow, green, masaman, jungle, and other curries) and is usually used to make wonderful main courses. Here, it is used subtly in a soup, adding that beautiful pop of flavour.

This is a big soup that can almost be served as a meal. The soft noodles are paired with a delicious red curry soup and topped with beautifully poached Asian-style chicken and spicy red chillies. The soup is spicy, tart, and full of flavour. The chicken is from a recipe for Asian-style chicken broth, but you may substitute any roasted or cooked chicken here.

This was one of my early cookbooks; I have cooked at least half of its recipes. The soups are from around the world, including delicious purées like this one and elaborate one-dish meals. This is one of those books that will make you fall in love with soup!

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil

2-3 tablespoons red curry paste, I like Real Thai brand

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2-34 cup coconut milk

1 cup shredded chicken thigh or leg meat from Asian Chicken stock , or any roasted chicken

2 cups Asian chicken stock

1 teaspoon fish sauce, Thai preferred

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Thai red chillies, halved longitudinally or cut into thick circles

Salt, to taste

Juice of 1/2 -1 lime

2 cups thin egg noodles, cooked as per directions on package

1 bok choy, leaves and stems finely diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 scallions, finely sliced

A handful of cilantro, minced + for garnish

Red chillies, finely sliced, Thai preferred

Heat the oil on low heat in a soup pot and add the red curry paste and turmeric. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring almost continuously, until the curry is cooked and smells aromatic.

Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes until the oils begin to rise to the top. Add the chicken stock, chicken, fish sauce, soy sauce, red chillies, and salt and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Do not boil, as you may split the soup.

Remove from the heat, taste for salt and spice. Add more red curry paste if needed, if you do add some, simmer for an additional 10 minutes to cook the paste. Squeeze in the lime juice and mix in. The soup should be strongly flavored, spicy, rich and tangy.

To serve, heat the soup and, when simmering, add the bok choy, garlic, scallions, and cilantro. Remove from the stove. Add the cooked noodles to a bowl in a neat heap. Ladle the soup over and garnish with the cilantro and red chillies. Serve immediately.