Category Archives: Noodle Dishes

Thai Chicken and Noodle Curry

The secret ingredient here is the curry paste, originally from Malaysia and now popular all over northern Thailand. It keeps in the fridge for months, and once you have it, you can whip up this recipe any time. Use the larger amount if you like heat.

Ingredients
14 ounce wide dried rice noodles
2 TBS peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup minced shallots
8 ounces boned, skinned chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 Lb sugar snap peas, strung
1/2 lb button mushrooms slices
1/8 lb baby carrots, cut in half, microwaved 1 minute
1 1/2 tablespoons panang curry paste, such as Mae Ploy brand*
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
Zest of one lime.
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup cilantro leaves and small sprigs
1 cup Thai basil* leaves and small sprigs
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside and add a little peanut oil to prevent sticking. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Stir-fry snap peas, mushroom and carrots until slightly chared, about 2 min. Reomve from pan. Heat 1 tbs oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken, curry paste, and half the coconut milk. Stir well to dissolve paste and boil until liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, and fish sauce, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly thicker, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add noodlesand reserved vegebles, toss to coat, and cook a few minutes until hot, carefully stirring often. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and basil. and stir. Pour mixture into a serving bowl. Serve with lime wedges.

*Find in grocery stores’ Asian foods aisle, at Asian markets, or on amazon.com. Use regular basil if Thai isn’t available

1 lb medium shrimp with shells
1 lb fresh lo mein noodles (or 10-12 ounces dried)
3 tbs peanut oil
3 tbs minced garlic
1 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
3 cups Hunan Roasted Peppers with their juice
3 tbs chicken stock or water
1 tsp chili sauce or paste with garlic
3 tbs oriental sesame oil
2 tsp salt

Bring a large kettle of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tsp salt, and the fresh lo mein. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in colander and set aside.

Deveined shrimp with the shell on are available at chinese markets. If shrimp are not deveined, cut (but do not remove) the shell along the back of the shrimp. Cut off legs and devein. Rinse shrimp under cold running water. Drain, then place on cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to dry for one hour, changing the paper towels several times. If they are not dry, they will not char.

Place a wok over high heat for about 1 minute or until hot. Add 1/2 tbs peanut oil and heat for a few seconds. Add 1/2 the shrimp, shaking the wok occasionally to allow the shrimp to char for about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the shrimp over and char another 1 1/2 minutes. Remove shrimp from wok and repeat the process with the remaining shrimp.

Heat a wok until hot, then add 2 tbs peanut oil. Turn down the heat and add garlic and scallions. Saute the garlic and scallions until garlic just begins to brown.

Add the cilantro leaves and stir briefly. Add the Hunan Roasted Peppers and their juice. Continue to stir. Add the chicken stock or water and cook another minute. Add the hot sauce and sesame oil. Stir briefly. Increase heat to high and add the lo mein noodles. When heated through, add the shrimp and stir-fry one minute more.

Tip out onto serving plate and garnish with reserved cilantro and green onion. Serve hot or at room temperature.

1/4 lb ground chicken or pork
1 lb fresh noodles
1 tbs peanut oil
5 dried black mushrooms
4 pieces wood ears or cloud ears
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbs minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using canned chicken broth)
1 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs oyster sauce
4 cups chicken broth
4 tbs tapioca starch
6 tbs mushroom water
1 tbs dark soy sauce
2 eggs
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbs rice vinegar

Preparation:
Soak dried mushrooms in warm water 1/2 hour. Remove stems, and slice into 1/4 inch strips. Keep mushroom soaking water to add to dish later.

Soak wood or cloud ears in warm water 1/2 hour. Remove tough center and cut each into 2 or more pieces (about 1/2 inch strips). set aside with mushrooms and 2 sliced green onions.
Beat eggs and set aside.

Cooking:
Heat peanut oil in a large pot with a thick bottom. Add ground chicken or pork and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cloud ears, garlic and green onions, and stir-fry until bright, about 1/2 minute.

Add salt (omit if using canned chicken broth), light soy sauce, sherry, oyster sauce and chicken broth. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles and simmer 3 minutes more. Add tapioca starch, mushroom water and dark soy sauce. Cook until thick. Turn off heat. Add beaten eggs slowly, stirring to achieve egg drop effect. Garnish with green onions and rice vinegar.

Serves 4

3 cups of cold cooked egg noodles (8oz flat chinese noodles)
4 tbs peanut oil for frying
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs minced ginger
2 tbs minced mint
2 tbs minced basil
1 tbs minced fresh red hot chiles (or serrano)
1/2 lb raw shrimp, shelled and sliced down the middle

Vegetables:
1 tbs peanut oil
1 red pepper, seeded and cubed
3 green onions diagonal cup into small pieces
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tbs sweet chili sauce
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
2 tsp grated lime zest

1 tbs tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbs water

Garnish:
1 minced green onion
1 tbs minced cilantro
1 tbs minced basil
1/2 tbs minced mint

Preparation:
Pan-fry noodles in peanut oil until golden on both sides. This will take about 8 minutes. Remove from frying pan. Drain. Cut noodles into wedges. Position on plate.

Prepare Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Last Minute Cooking:
Remove most of the oil from the frying pan or wok. Add shrimp and saute until it loses raw outside color. Remove and set aside.

Heat 1 tbs oil in pan or wok. Saute garlic, ginger, mint, basil and fresh chiles for a few seconds. Add vegetables and saute until vegetables brighten. Add sauce ingredients and heat thoroughly. Return shrimp and thicken sauce with tapioca mixture. Taste and adjust seasons. Tip out onto noodles. Top with garnish. Serve at once.

Serves 4.

Modification of a Hugh Carpenter recipe

12 oz fresh flat noodles or 8 oz dried flat noodles, cut or break in half for easier eating
1 cup slivered ham or smoked chicken/turkey
1/2 lb uncooked shrimp or cooked bay shrimp
4 slivered freah green onions
2 red sweet peppers, seeded and slivered
3 cups bean sprouts
1 cup leafty ends from fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tbs peanut oil 1 clove very finely minced garlic

Dressing
2 tbs heavy soy sauce
3 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs finely minced fresh ginger or grated ginger
1 tsp sugar or honey
2 tbs seasame oil
1 tsp chili paste with garlic sometimes called chili garlic sauce (very hot)
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation
Drop noodles in a large amount of lighty salted rapidly boiling water. Cook until al dente. Drain, rince under cold water and drain again. Stir into noodles about 1/2 tbs peanut oil or corn oil to prevent noodles from sticking together.
Marinate shrimp in 1 tbs peanut oil, salt, pepper and garlic for 10 minutes. Saute until barely done. Allow to cool, then slice shrimp into thin slices. If using small bay shrimp, do not slice.
Using your fingers, toss all salad ingredients together except the dressing. Set aside until ready to serve.
Combine dressing ingredients.

Just before serving
Toss dressing with salad just prior to serving
Makes 4 to 6 servings as a main dish.

Modification of a Hugh Carpenter recipe

2 tbs minced roasted peanuts
1/3 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced freah cilantro
1/4 cup minced freah green onions
2 cups bean sprouts
2 eggs
salt
1/2 lb dried spaghetti style noodles, preferably chinese
1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and butterflied
1 tsp peanut oil

Sauce:
3 (or more) cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbs peanut oil
3 tbs dry sherry (I like Paul Mason Pale Dry Sherry)
3 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs sweet chili sauce
2 tbs lime juice, plus 2 limes
2 tbs light brown sugar
1 tsp hot chile garlic sauce or paste (or to taste)
1 tsp grated or finely minced lime peel

Advanced Preparation
Arrange peanuts, red pepper, green onions, coriander and bean sprouts a plate or serving dish. Set aside.

Beat eggs well. Place a 12 inch non-stick or case iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1 teaspoon oil and rub over surface with paper towel. Add half the egg and roll it around the pan to form a thin pancake. When set, in about 30 seconds, flip over and cook for a few seconds on the other side. Remove from pan. Lightly oil pan and make a second pancake. After pancakes cool, roll into cylinders and cut into shreds. Arrange on platter with vegetables and peanuts.

Prepare Sauce
In a small bowl, combine sherry, soy sauce, sweet chile sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, hot chili sauce and lime peel. Set aside.

Last Minute Cooking
Cook the noodles for about 5 minutes in 4 quarts of water. Noodles should still be firm to the bite (al dente). Drain in colander and transfer back to cooking pot. Add a little peanut oil to the noodles to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan over medium high heat, saute the garlic for a few seconds. Do not burn. Then add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to boil. Remove from heat.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add shrimp, and cook until barely done, about 1 minute. Add cooked noodles, sauce, 1/2 the bean sprouts and 1/2 egg shreds. Stir-fry for 1 minute to mix and heat all ingredients. Transfer to heated platter. Serve at once, accompanied with the minced vegetables, peanuts and lime wedges.

Modification of a Hugh Carpenter recipe