One pot Thai curry noodles

This is the time of year to enjoy warm, wholesome bowls of soups and curries. This one pot Thai curry noodle soup is the perfect fix for a winter week-night dinner. Thai flavors are so beautiful and are smile-inducing. I use a store bought Thai curry paste for this recipe. I have tried making Thai curry paste from scratch but it can be difficult to find all the ingredients to make the paste and frankly, the store bought paste is really good. I always check the ingredients on the jar to make sure they do not have fish sauce. I also check to make sure there are no artificial flavors or unnecessary fillers on that list. This one-pot meal comes together in no time and hits all the right notes.

Serves: 4, Prep. time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp canola oil or coconut oil

• 1/2 cup sliced onions

• 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers

• 1/4 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

• 1 cup chopped kale (or spinach)

• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

• 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts

• 4 tbsp. Thai red curry paste

• 2 cups coconut milk (or 1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup water)

• 50 g or 2 oz. Thai brown rice noodles (or any noodles of your choice)

• 6 to 8 broccoli florets

• cilantro leaves, pickled radish and pickled onions for garnish

Quick pickled radish and onion recipe: In a bowl, add 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt. Thinly slices onions and radishes and add to the pickling liquid. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes. These can be put in a jar and refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil.

2. Add onions and bell peppers and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels, kale leaves, sliced mushrooms and water chestnuts. Stir everything for a few minutes till the kale cooks down.

3. Add the Thai curry paste and stir for a minute. The paste is concentrated and a little goes a long way. If your paste is very spicy, you might need less than 4 tbsp.

4. Add the coconut milk (or heavy cream+water mix), stir everything well to make sure the curry paste dissolves properly in the milk and bring to a boil. If the curry seems too thick, add some water.

5. Add the uncooked noodles to the pot and make sure they are completely submerged in the curry. Put the lid on the pot and let the noodles cook (about 5 minutes).

6. Taste the curry and add some salt if needed.

7. Serve in a bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves and pickled vegetables.

8. Enjoy!