Another Must 😋Thai!🥢
There is (almost) nothing I love ❤️ more than the flavors of delicious, Thai influenced food. Thai Coconut Noodles is such a scrumptious combination of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, chili paste and tons of veggies!
This is a flavor-filled, easy to prepare meal that I’m sure you’re going to love too. Even better, it comes together in about 30 minutes. The ingredients are easily found at most grocery stores too. If you love a delicious savory noodle dish, give this a try, Thai Coconut Noodles with Shrimp (or Chicken Or Veggies, Or Tofu……you see what I mean?) I really may have to change the name of this blog to “All Things Coconut” or “For The Love of Thai!”
Someday, I hope to visit Thailand. That’s of course if I can ever handle a flight ✈️ for that long! I want to make like Anthony Bourdain and enjoy all the incredible street food. I have to give him credit for my increased sense of adventure and interest in traveling (one day) to Asia. Honestly, it was never at the top of my list in my younger days. Now, it’s smack dab, numero uno, right at the very top. And the buck stops with my culinary curiosity every time. If I could travel to my culinary dream location, it’s Thailand!
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I’d love to know where you’d want to go!
If you could travel to any location in the world, where would it be?
Please put your answers to the following in the comments section below the post:
1. What’s your number one travel bucket list destination?
2. What’s your number one food-travel destination? (are they the same?)
Thai Coconut Noodles with Shrimp 🥥🍤
The Prep
Prepare about 1 lb of shrimp. Rinse, devein and remove the tails. You can use any type you like, I prefer the larger sized shrimp. I count about 5-6 shrimp per serving, depending on the size.
Did you know the number of shrimp per pound is how they are sold? So, the count on the bag of frozen shrimp is there to help you get the size you want. The more shrimp per pound, the smaller the size of the shrimp. (And doesn’t the term “extra large shrimp” seem wrong?🤣)
Not familiar with cleaning shrimp? If you’re not and you want to save a bit of $ on the price of this delicious crustacian, here’s a link to a easy to follow tutorial on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMLRMFWmSdI
(I was My family’s official shrimp cleaner at a very young age!🤦🏻♀️)
Into a large pot filled with water, cook the Udon noodles according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Finely mince 5 cloves of garlic and 1 2 inch piece of peeled ginger.
Chop 1 cup fresh cilantro and 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus extra for the garnish. Clean and remove the seeds of one small yellow bell pepper and one small red bell pepper. Slice them into very thin, long pieces.
I also used Enoki mushrooms. Any variety of mushroom you like would work in this recipe. If you are using Enoki mushrooms, just trim the woody bottoms off. I used about 5 1/5 ounces in this recipe. Enoki mushrooms are usually sold in seeled bags to keep them fresh.
Thinly slice about 5-6 small spring onions or a bunch or so of scallions. Keep some for garnish as well.
Baby Bok Choi
Baby bok choi is really delicious in this noodle dish. It’s also a relatively inexpensive but it’s also a “ultra super food” as well. For this recipe, about 1 lb of baby book choi is perfect.
To prepare it, wash well, then slice off the bottoms. Cut the bok choi in half, lengthwise. Set aside.
The Broth
Into a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, add 2 cans (14 ounces) of unsweetened, lite coconut milk to a simmer along with 2 cups of chicken stock (1 can).
Trim two stalks of lemongrass to the bottom 4 inches only, then smash it with a mallet or other item (even a frying pan!) You want to release the lemongrass of it’s delicious, citrus flavor.
Put it into the coconut mixture to steep. Add all but 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic, the ginger and most of the cilantro and basil, (leaving some for garnish) to the coconut/broth mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (or substitute with worcestershire sauce), 2 teaspoons of Mild Thai Chili paste. Mix well, then let is simmer about 20 minutes, while you prepare the vegetables and the shrimp.
The Cook 👩🏻🍳
Into a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and heat on medium until very hot. Add 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of Thai Chili Paste. I use the very mild heat chili paste, but choose the one you enjoy.
Add the sliced bell peppers and the onions and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
Push the veggies to the outer sides of the pan and add the shrimp and saute quickly, only about 2 minutes per side. The shrimp is done as soon as it starts to become opaque. Remove from the pan and set on a dish. The shrimp will cook a little longer once it is added to the noodle dish, so a touch under done is best.
Add the bok choi and the mushrooms to the saute pan and toss everything to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Next, add all the vegetables, the noodles and the shrimp to the broth and stir to combine. Simmer together just a minute or two.
To Serve
Divide into bowls, top with fresh basil and or cilantro, green onion and serve with lime wedges.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 package udon or rice noodles, medium width
- 1 lb shrimp, rinsed and deveined, tails removed
- 2 cans (14 ounces) unsweetened, lite coconut milk
- 1 can (2 cups) chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
- 5.5 ounces Enoki mushrooms (or substitute any you like)
- 5 large cloves garlic
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 small yellow bell pepper
- 1 lb baby bok choi
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons (divided) mild Thai Chili sauce
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Garnish
- Lime wedges, chopped cilantro and or basil, sriracha sauce or mild Thai chili paste
Instructions
- Prepare about 1 lb of shrimp. Rinse, devein and remove the tails.
- Fill a large pot filled with water, cook the Udon noodles according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Finely mince 5 cloves of garlic and 1 2 inch piece of peeled ginger.
- Chop 1 cup fresh cilantro and 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus extra for the garnish.
- Clean and remove the seeds of one small yellow bell pepper and one small red bell pepper. Slice them into very thin, long pieces.
- Prepare the Enoki mushrooms by just trimming off the woody bottoms, about 1/4 inch.
- Thinly slice about 5-6 small spring onions. Keep some for garnish as well.
- To prepare the bok choi, rinse well, then trim off the bottoms. Cut the bok choi in half, lengthwise. Set aside.
Prepare the broth
- Into a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, add 2 cans (14 ounces) of unsweetened, lite coconut milk to a simmer along with 2 cups of chicken stock (1 can).
- Trim two stalks of lemongrass to the bottom 4 inches only, then smash it with a mallet to release the flavor. Put it into the coconut mixture to steep.
- Add all but 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic, all of the ginger and most of the cilantro and basil, (leaving some for garnish) to the coconut/broth mixture.
- Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (or substitute with worcestershire sauce), 2 teaspoons of Mild Thai Chili paste.
- Mix well, then let is simmer about 20 minutes, while you prepare the vegetables and the shrimp.
Saute
- Into a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and heat on medium until very hot.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of mild Thai Chili Paste.
- Add the sliced bell peppers and the onions and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Push the veggies to the outer sides of the pan and add the shrimp and saute quickly, only about 2 minutes per side. The shrimp is done as soon as it starts to become opaque.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan and set on a dish. (Note: The shrimp will cook a little longer once it is added to the noodle dish, so a touch under done is best.)
- Add the bok choi and the mushrooms to the saute pan and toss everything to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and the vegetables from the saute pan to the soup and simmer together, just a few minutes.
To Serve
- Divide into bowls, top with fresh basil and or cilantro, green onion and serve with lime wedges.
- Enjoy!
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
