red thai curry;
I’ll be honest with you guys, I actually was not a big fan of Thai curry before this recipe. I hate the taste of coconut milk although if it’s baked or masked or very very subtle I don’t mind it. And I’m getting to the point where I can handle some spice, but I’m not a spicy person and the spicy Thai curries can really overwhelm me with spice pretty easily. So in general Thai curries are just not my first choice.
But a neighbor invited us over to play board games and was making dinner, so of course I was appreciative of their hospitality and tried this recipe. And it was delicious! I think partially because it wasn’t crazy spicy and partially because it was filled with noodles and chicken and fresh herbs, it was just really tasty. They told me jokingly that I could find the recipe that used 6 Tbsp of red curry paste, so that’s exactly what I did. There’s not a ton of recipes out there with 6 Tbsp of red curry paste and vermicelli noodles also luckily I found it and was able to make it on my own! I honestly might have put in even over 6 Tbsp of red curry powder because it ended up being most of the jar and it was silly to keep around a teaspoon or two when I’d definitely need to pick up another jar the next time I wanted to make this recipe.
The curry is rich in flavor and on the thin side, so I have trouble deciding if I want a spoon for the broth or chopsticks for the noodles and chicken and usually end up with both. I think next time I might go with the spoon and break the noddles a little smaller and cut the chicken smaller as well to avoid as much splashing. Cuz let me tell you—this thing stains. Don’t use plastic containers you care about to store it, don’t wear a white shirt while you slurp it. I should slap a CAUTION note on the recipe, hah. Delicious, but highly recommend storing in a glass container.
This recipe also makes a fair amount, so if you’re not keen on lots of leftovers or cooking for a family size (it’s just me and my husband) you may want to halve the recipe. Let me know if you make it, I’m always super excited when I find new things that I really enjoy when I previously wasn’t a fan. I hope this makes it onto your table!
red thai curry;
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 inch piece of ginger peeled and sliced
- 6 Tbsp red curry paste 4oz (yes really)
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 can coconut milk 13.5oz
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 4 inch piece of lemongrass
- 2 lb chicken breast or thighs thinly sliced
- pinch of sugar
- 3 oz dried vermicelli noodles
- 1 small red onion diced
- ⅓ cup cilantro leaves
- 1 bunch scallions sliced
- ⅓ cup thai basil leaves
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Boil 3-4 c. hot water, and pour over vermicelli noodles. Set aside.
- Chop red onion, cilantro, scallions (whites and greens), and thai basil, and toss together in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add garlic, ginger, and thai red curry paste. Stir constantly until dark red and fragrant, approx. 5 minutes.
- Add in chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, lemongrass, 1 tsp. salt and a pinch of sugar.
- Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until lemongrass and ginger are tender, approx. 15 minutes.
- Stir chicken into the broth and simmer over low heat, approx. 5 mins for breast, or 15 for thighs.
- Stir in noodles and turn up heat to bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in juice from 1 lime and serve with herb mixture.
