I LOVE this! I really don’t know if I’m entitled to call them Thai noodles as I very much doubt this is an authentic Thai dish. Whatever the case, all the great Thai flavors are there; Lemongrass, ginger, chilies, kaffir lime leaves and garlic are blended together to form a delicious, aromatic paste, the heart of this dish. This recipe is very easy to prepare. The most important thing is preparation and having all ingredients within arms reach. Once you get that right, then all you need to do is just throw everything in the wok in the right sequence.

I used egg noodles but rice noodles would be just as good. You can also replace peanuts with cashews although I find peanuts are less buttery and crunchier. I made my own curry paste, as it’s really easy once you have the ingredients and nothing beats the aromas of freshly ground spices and veggies. Don’t forget that last squeeze of lime juice before you dive into this plate of noodle deliciousness. You will be making this again, for sure.

For the red curry paste

• 2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped, soft parts only
• 2 red chilies, deseeded
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 thumb piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, deseeded
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 3 dried kaffir lime leaves
• 1/8 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 Tbs Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 Tbs sesame oil

For the noodles

• 250 grams dried egg noodles
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in bite size strips
• 1 small broccoli cut into florets
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 3 Tbs sunflower oil, divided
• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• ½ cup coconut cream
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• 1 spring onion, sliced diagonally to garnish

Method

Put all ingredients for the paste in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.

Boil the noodles in plenty of water, 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Leave aside until needed.

Put chicken strips in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the curry paste and mix well.

In a wok or large frying pan, put 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, over high heat. Add the chicken strips (if you are using a wok, fry the chicken in two batches) and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until chicken is just cooked. Remove chicken and put in a heatproof bowl. Add the onion slices to the pan along with the remaining tablespoon of sunflower oil. Add a pinch of salt and stir fry for about a minute until onion is nicely coloured. Remove from wok into another bowl. Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until broccoli is softer but still has a bite. It should be nicely coloured in places. Remove broccoli from wok, into the bowl with the onion.

Add the curry paste to the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute, stirring all the time, until is reduces slightly. Mix in the coconut cream. Add the chicken and cooked noodles. Lower the heat to low (if you are cooking on an electric stove, turn off the heat completely, but do not move the pan). Mix everything together very well for about a minute. This will help the noodles absorb the flavors. Add the broccoli and onions. Mix briefly to combine.

Transfer noodles to a serving plate. Squeeze the lime over the noodles. Sprinkle with the peanuts and spring onion. Serve at once.

Note: You can substitute prawns for chicken