Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup…Curry Mee

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup…Curry Mee

Prep 10 mins   Cook 20 mins    Eat 30 mins

This Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup called Curry Mee warms you up and is warming in a delicious way.  It was a cold January in Southern California and I was glad to have my Soup repertoire ready, starting with our January Soups, Stews & Bread class held earlier in the month. I know. I know.  I grew up in Minneapolis, so I know what cold is and the chilly 30-some degrees, which it has been here, is considered warm there.  Nevertheless, I’m guessing that a lot of soup is being made across the country right now.

(L to R) Carrot Ginger Soup, Minnesota Wild Rice Soup, Corn Chowder

I featured a variety of soups in our Soup class.  We learned to make fresh made vegetable stock which was the basis for our soups.  We made a pureed Carrot Ginger Soup, which is one of my all-time favorites.  Then I had to feature my Minnesota Wild Rice Soup with a lowfat milk base, which nearly every household in Minnesota makes with their leftover turkey.   The Corn Chowder is also another winner.  I’ve made it for 100 people at one of our Holy Nativity fundraisers.

So I was pleasantly pleased with the newest addition to my repertoire, the Asian Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup…Curry Mee.  This has 22 ingredients (four are garnishes that could be left out) on the list, so get ready to have an Asian ingredient learning experience. Most ingredients can be found in a Minnesota grocery store, but you might have to search or substitute for the others.  But I am telling you, if you are an adventurous eater and love Asian food, it is worth it…and believe it or not, it is fast and easy to make.  Just make sure you have prepped and measured all your ingredients before turning on the heat, because it will go super fast and you will not have time to catch up.

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup…Curry Mee

The flavors from the lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves married with the curry, and the coconut milk will give your taste buds a ride.  Add the hominess of the chicken and soba noodles and you have a new level of comfort food in this Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup.

The 22 ingredients in Curry Mee – (L to R) salt, canola oil, fish sauce, cilantro, scallions, bean sprouts, lemon grass, half and half, coconut milk, Sambal chili paste, onion, lime, paprika, sugar, garlic, chicken base (for stock), udon noodles, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric, curry powder, chicken breast and ginger root.

If you live in Minnesota and can’t find all the ingredients, here is my substitution list:

Ginger Root – do not substitute.  Keep looking.  Could use galangal root, but that is even harder to find.

Lemon Grass – use lemon zest.

Sambal – use any red hot chili product like Sriracha Rooster sauce.

Coconut Milk – this is a savory coconut milk, which you can find at Trader Joe’s.  Do not use Coco Lopez, which is used in Pina Coladas.

Fish Sauce – This product adds salt. Use Soy Sauce, but less of it, to taste.

Kaffir Lime Leaves – I buy these fresh and them dry them out on my counter.  Then I put them in my spice cabinet and use like a bay leaf.  If you can’t find, use lime zest and add lime juice once the soup is made.

Asian noodles – I used udon noodles, which is a thick wheat noodle.  Use a thick spaghetti noodle.

Bean Sprouts – This has been a staple at every grocery store, but I’ve had a hard time finding them lately.  I couldn’t believe that my Ralph’s didn’t have it today and they said they weren’t carrying it anymore.  I scolded them.   If you can’t find them, you will have to live without them I’m afraid.  it is more of a garnish. Oh, well!

Print This Recipe

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup (Curry Mee)

• 2 Tbs.  vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 Tbs ginger root, minced
• 1 Tbs lemon grass, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Sambal (dark red chili paste)
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 Tbs curry powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 can (11 oz) coconut milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream (optional)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 Tbs fish sauce
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 12 kaffir lime leaves
• 12 ounces Asian udon noodles
• Salt, (optional), to taste
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3 Tbs chopped cilantro
• 2 scallions, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 quartered lime

1. 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 kaffir lime leaves.  Bring to a boil, add noodles,  then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and noodles are soft, about 7 minutes.

2. Taste broth and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.   Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions.  Pass limes and chili paste at the table.

Servings: 6    Calories per serving: 579

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup (Curry Mee)

This recipe is taken from the New York Times, January 7, 2009. It has a ton of wonderful Asian ingredients, which makes it very authentic. It is rich with the coconut milk and if you must, a light cream added. If you can'tf ind some of the ingredients, here are some substitutions: LEMON GRASS - use lemon zest. KAFFIR LIME LEAVES - use lime zest and add lime juice once soup is made . SAMBAL chile paste - use any hot chili product like Sriracha Rooster sauce. Fish Sauce - This product adds salt. Use Soy Sauce, but less of it to taste. Asian noodles - I used UDON NOODLES, which is a thick wheat noodle. Use thick spaghetti noodles. GINGER ROOT- do not substitute. Keep looking. Could use galangal root, but that is even harder to find. It is VERY IMPORTANT to have your ingredients prepped before beginning to make this soup.

Course: Entree, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 Tbs ginger root minced
• 1 Tbs lemon grass minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp Sambal dark red chili paste
• 3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 Tbs curry powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 can 11 oz coconut milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream optional
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 Tbs fish sauce
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 12 kaffir lime leaves
• 12 ounces Asian udon noodles
• Salt (optional), to taste
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3 Tbs chopped cilantro
• 2 scallions sliced thin crosswise
• 1 quartered lime

Instructions

• 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 kaffir lime leaves.  Bring to a boil, add noodles,  then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and noodles are soft, about 7 minutes.
• Taste broth and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.   Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions.  Pass limes and chili paste at the table.

Click on the frog for more Soup Recipes from the Food Bloggers of Los Angeles.