Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced lemon grass or pale green cilantro roots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dark red chili paste, such as sambal, more for serving
- ¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast meat, thinly sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste
- About 12 kaffir lime leaves or curry leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)
- 8 ounces dried thin rice noodles (bun or vermicelli), or other Asian noodles such as udon or lai fun
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 scallions, cut into thin rings
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced and deep fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional)
- Quartered limes for serving
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
629 calories; 24 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 98 milligrams cholesterol; 1274 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
4 main-course servings
Preparation
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, ginger and lemon grass and cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add garlic and chili paste and stir until fragrant. Raise heat, add chicken and stir-fry one minute. Add curry powder and paprika and stir to coat. Then add coconut milk, half-and-half, chicken stock, turmeric, fish sauce, sugar and lime or curry leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook rice noodles in boiling water according to package directions (about 4 minutes). Rinse and drain.
- Taste broth and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar. Divide noodles into large soup bowls. Bring broth to a boil, then ladle over noodles. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions and fried shallots, if using. Pass limes and sambal at the table.
- To make this rich soup more substantial, boiled potatoes are sometimes added to the simmering broth and cooked until very soft.
45 minutes
Dining and Cooking