Thai chicken and noodle soup is a spicier take on a traditional comfort food
Thai chicken and noodle soup is a spicier take on a traditional comfort food.
Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com
I am not going to lie. February was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month for my family. While I am fully aware that bad things don't neatly contain themselves in calendar months and that the turning of the calendar page doesn't necessarily mean that sad times are now behind us, I am relieved to be starting fresh with a new month. Spring and sunshine is just around the corner.
I was looking for a good comfort food recipe to get me through this no-good month. Something hearty and flavorful but not full of cream or fatty meats. Something like chicken soup, but maybe a little bit spicier. I turned to my most recent cookbook acquisition — a bargain book called "The Soup Bible" — and found a recipe that fit the bill perfectly.
This soup captures many of the flavors I enjoy in Thai food without requiring a trip to a specialty foods store. This was my first experience with creamed coconut, which is dehydrated fresh coconut meat that has been ground to a creamy paste. It melted easily into the hot chicken stock, and had a more concentrated coconut taste than coconut milk.
This recipe could also work well with vegetable stock and tofu.
Thai Chicken & Noodle Soup
adapted from "The Soup Bible"
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces each, chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup creamed coconut, grated
3 1/4 cups chicken stock, hot
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 cup thread egg noodles broken into small pieces
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 finely chopped fresh red Thai chili
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute until lightly golden. Add the chicken, turmeric and cayenne pepper and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the creamed coconut into the hot chicken stock and stir until it dissolves. Pour into the pot with the chicken, and then add the lime juice, peanut butter and egg noodles.
3. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the scallions and fresh cilantro, season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, heat the shredded coconut and chili in a small, dry skillet for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the coconut is light brown.
5. Pour the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the dry-fried coconut and chili. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for the AnnArbor.com community team. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.
Comments
Ann English
Sat, Mar 5, 2011 : 12:25 a.m.
How many servings does this make? Where do you buy creamed coconut? Is the shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened? Where do you buy fresh red Thai chilis? It sounds like something found in a produce department. I'm familiar with Tsai Grocery to some extent, but not with their produce. I notice the turmeric for this recipe; I wish more healthy recipes called for it.
Jessica Webster
Mon, Mar 7, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
Ann - the recipe makes 4 servings. I bought the creamed coconut at the Washtenaw Whole Foods. You definitely want to use unsweetened shredded coconut. I usually can find the chilis at Whole Foods, the Produce Station, Busch's and Plum. You could use any hot chili pepper if you can't find the Thai chili. Just be careful when mincing it - I use gloves so I don't get the hot pepper oil on my fingers (and then eventually in my eyes!).
Jessica Webster
Thu, Mar 3, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.
@Rodney T - Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the soup. I found the box of creamed coconut at Whole Foods in the baking area, though I imagine it can also be found at other grocery stores.
Ann English
Sat, Mar 5, 2011 : 1:41 a.m.
Hope the Whole Foods location doesn't matter. Was it Washtenaw Avenue's or Eisenhower Parkway's Whole Foods?
Morris Thorpe
Thu, Mar 3, 2011 : 2:19 p.m.
Now that looks and sounds really good. I've been moved to actually make this (usually I see food recipes online and think, that looks good. Too bad I'll never make it.) Sorry that your family suffered though a bad month.