Thai Noodle Soup, my way

coconut chicken soup, originally uploaded by mwhammer.

After a perfectly clear and sunny weekend full of gardening, reading on the deck and eating outside I certainly was not expecting a grey, sleety Monday. But I suppose, if the weather is going to be a jerk, better on a work day than a play day right?

To tell you the truth, I really crave a good rainy day or two in a row sometimes. I love the grey and clouds as much as the sun and blue–just in moderation! After all, a soupy day calls for a soupy supper, no?

Last night I made a Thai Noodle Soup that I crafted after watching one too many episodes of Anthony Bourdain traveling through Asia. Asian cuisine is probably one of my favorites, so I built the soup based on the stand-out elements in Thai cooking. (You know me–I’m not a recipe person, so use this as a guideline and try it your own way!)

First, saute some chopped onions in sesame oil til translucent.
Then, add sliced shitake mushrooms and saute til soft and brown.
Grate in a clove or two of garlic (grating provide the right texture and leaves no hunks of garlic) and about a 1″ piece of fresh ginger.

The emphasis here is on all fresh ingredients–nothing from a can please.

Uh, what’d I do next? Oh, add the liquids–about 6 cups of chicken stock and then two more cups of water. Get the pot simmering pretty good. I’ve made this dish a few times now and it seems the longer it simmers the tastier it is.

Add to the bubbling liquid a tablespoon (be careful here and do NOT overdo it!) of fish sauce. Depending on how spicy you like your soup (add about a teaspoon for mild) add some chili paste.

Sprinkle in a bit of curry powder, a couple of teaspoons of sugar, a dollop of hoisin sauce and some salt.

Bubble, bubble, bubble.

Shortly before you’re ready to serve, boil some water separately to cook your noodles–thick Udon noodles are perfect for this. Thinly slice some chicken breast and salt and pepper it.

Poach the chicken the simmering broth and add some snow peas–bok choy might be an interesting addition as well.

That’s it. Done. Now, ladle your noodles into a dish and spoon the broth over top. I love to garnish mine with mung bean sprouts and super fresh cilantro–a squeeze of fresh lime juice and some crushed peanuts are perfect too.

One Response to “Thai Noodle Soup, my way”

Comment from KARIN SAMPOGNA
Time April 21, 2009 at 9:27 pm

yummmmmmm make it for me – ok?????