8ouncesof your favorite pasta (240 g) such as linguine or spaghetti
1tablespoonvegetable oil
1tablespoonred curry pasteadjust to taste for spice level
1poundChicken breasts (about 400 g)sliced
1can13.5 ounces coconut milk
1tablespoonsugarsee note #1
1teaspoonfish sauce
1Lime (juice)
1red bell pepperthinly sliced
1carrotjulienned
1cupbroccoli florets
1cupbaby cornhalved
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
Add the red curry paste to the skillet and stir well.
Add the sliced chicken and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Add the sliced bell peppers, green beans, kaffir lime leaves, and mushrooms to the wok. Cook the vegetables until they are tender but still crisp, about 3 minutes.
Add fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing it with the curry sauce and vegetables until well-coated.
Serve the Thai Curry Pasta hot, garnished with fresh cilantro (optional) and lime wedges.
Notes
Note #1: Palm sugar is used to sweeten Thai curries. However, if you do not have it, white sugar or brown sugar is okay too. Once the coconut milk is added, reduce the heat to a low simmer. On high heat, the fats in coconut oil will separate and float to the top. Slicing Chicken: Slice chicken thin. The trick is to identify the direction of the muscle fibers (the "grain") running through the meat. Slice perpendicular to these fibers, rather than parallel. Slicing against the grain helps break up the muscle fibers, resulting in a more tender bite. Slicing thin makes it easier and faster to wok fry the chicken.Frying The Curry Paste: Reduce flame and fry the curry paste slowly till the oil separates. This helps all the fragrant ingredients; like lemongrass, galangal, line leaves, garlic, etc to release their oils and fragrance. Do not hurry this step. It will make a whole world of difference to the final flavor of your dish.Cooking Pasta: Cook pasta al dente, as per instructions on the package. Do not overcook it, as it will become even more mushier when dunked in the hot curry sauce. Pasta needs to have a 'bite'.