Thai Curry Paste, Asparagus, Rice Noodles

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Leftover homemade curry paste, several asparagus spears, some chicken breast and a delicious 15-minute lunch for one was ready! If I had to wash and cook rice, it would take much longer, but for such quick meal occasions – and for when I’m fed up with rice – I always keep rice noodles, which simply soak while I prepare the rest. I even didn’t need to bother about fresh Thai herbs because I also happen to have some home grown sweet basil (my first experiment with a hydroponic system from seed stage!). It’s maybe not a traditional Thai dish, but I hope I can call this dish at least Thai-inspired. Anyway, genuine or not, this super quick lunch was deliciously fresh and perfect for a warm spring day.

TIPS: For this recipe I’ve used homemade “aromatic” curry paste, following (and slightly changing) the recipe from Thai Food by Thompson, the best Thai cookery book one can dream of. Making one’s own curry paste takes maybe ten minutes, it keeps for about a week and I even freeze it in individual meal portions (even though it’s discouraged by David Thompson), so if you have access to all the necessary ingredients I encourage you to make your own paste at least once. You will see how big the difference in flavours will be and you will realise how much you can tweak the ingredient’s amounts to suit your taste… Obviously, in this recipe you can use any Thai curry paste you have.

Thai sweet basil (horapha; don’t mix it up with another Thai “holy” basil : graprao/kaphrao, which has a stronger peppery aroma) has a very special anise-like flavour and can be bought in big bunches in Thai and Vietnamese grocery shops or, potted, in gardening shops. Unfortunately, it doesn’t freeze well and there’s no sense in drying it either because it loses its strong typical aroma. If you like it and cannot buy, I advise growing it because the seeds are available in many online sources (and in many shops too), it sprouts easily and grows quickly, even indoors. If you don’t have Thai basil, you can add some coriander for a fresh touch.

You can replace the chicken with any other meat or tofu.

Preparation: about 15 minutes (if you already have the paste)

Ingredients (serves one for a full meal without any side dishes):

5 heaped tablespoons curry paste (I’ve used aromatic curry paste)

5 tablespoons coconut milk or stock or water

5 green or violet asparagus spears

1 small or 1/2 big chicken breast, skinned

1 tablespoon coconut – or other – oil

fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese), to taste

10-12 leaves Thai sweet basil (horapha)

60 g flat thick Thai rice noodles

Prepare a big bowl or pan. Slide the noodles into the pan, cover with boiling water, put a lid on the pan and put aside until you finish the rest of cooking.

Cut off the tough lower parts of asparagus spears, throw them away. Cut up the rest into bite-sized pieces and divide into thicker pieces and thinner pieces (this way you can make sure both remain crunchy).

Cut the chicken breast into thin strips or bite-sized cubes.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Stir-fry the curry paste for about 30 seconds, add the coconut milk and after 10-20 seconds, the chicken.When the chicken is about 3/4 done, add the thicker parts of the asparagus spears.

Stir-fry all that for about 2 minutes. Now add the thinner parts of asparagus, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and stir-fry for about one more minute.

Take off from the heat, add the Thai basil leaves and give all that a good stir.

Drain the noodles, mix well with the sauce and serve.

 

 

 

 

Published by Sissi

16 Replies to “Thai Curry Paste, Asparagus, Rice Noodles”

  1. This looks scrumptious Sissi – you’re making me so hungry! I like how you bring in the seasonal asparagus with the warming pleasures of this dish — I am enraptured by curry coconut sauces too! I have Thai basil growing in my garden, I’m excited.

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. This is the kind of dish I love most: delicious, but very quick (and also not too heavy!).

  3. Beautiful. I’ll probably never be able to make my own curry paste because there are so many fresh ingredients I can’t get my hands on. But at least the commercial ones are good. I actually am sure the home-made varieties are better…

    1. Thank you, Mimi. I’m lucky because at least five shops in my city carry all the necessary ingredients to make any Thai paste! (Apart from kafir lime zest, but I sometimes find it in nearby France).

  4. I always have rice noodles on hand too, they make such a fresh and delicious dish in no time at all, just like your beautiful Thai inspired recipe. I have now put in my herb garden on my back patio, in it I grow four types of basil, Thai, Columnar, Italian and Purple. They were planted during the May 19th weekend so I’ll need to give them another week or so to establish themselves. You are so adventurous growing your plants from seeds, I simply do not have the patience. And growing hydroponically too, is very exciting. I have started a very small raised vegetable garden in my only sunny location at my house, on top of the garage! It gets sun all day and I already have 3 grape tomatoes and 1 red pepper (still green though), I cannot wait for them to be harvested. I also have one zucchini and one cucumber plant. I am really hoping that it will be a good year to grow these veggies.

    1. Thank you so much, Eva, for all the kind words! I have never heard of columnar basil! I must check it. I am a very impatient person, too… but I love gardening (even though my balcony space is tiny) and frankly in February when I start most seeds indoors I don’t have much else to do than… sowing the seeds! Every year I also buy potted herbs (those which are difficult or long to grow from seeds), but I find growing from seeds much more fun and this way I can grow plants I’ll never be able to buy here. (Such as Japanese mitsuba, mizuna or shungiku!).
      Your raised vegetable garden sounds fantastic! I wish I had more space… I’d grow tomatoes too because the good ones are so difficult to find, even in season!

  5. I have just ordered the book…. I couldn’t resist it, I don’t have one Thai cookbook. 🙂 Beautiful recipe for the curry paste, I can’t wait to see the rest. I love this kind of dish, so light and so aromatic.

    1. Thank you so much, Adina! I hope you will enjoy the book! It’s one of the best cookery books (in general), authors who put so much works into a cookery book… one can feel not a single recipe is neglected. I find it extremely impressive! Now you only need to find a source of fresh Thai products 🙂

  6. I think your dish sounds great, whether authentic Thai or Thai inspired. It is what tastes good that matters. I think if Thai chefs had the availability of fresh asparagus, they would use it. 🙂

    1. Thank you, Katerina! I often make a lunch for myself only, so I like it quick (but it must be delicious!).

  8. Would never have thought of using asparagus in a curry. You have a very inspiring dish here Sissi, and anything that only takes 15 minutes get my attention. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, MJ. I use asparagus everywhere I can and until now it’s been perfect with absolutely everything! Even the hottest Thai curries!

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