Simple Curry Noodles

Dana Wooten, (she blogs at Dana Treat), and her husband Randy used to order Thai food every Friday night. That is, until Dana started to wonder what it was they were actually consuming. Left with oily and over-seasoned dishes, she was inspired to start cooking the flavorful food in a new and healthy way at home. This hearty dish boasts udon noodles (although you could use rice noodles, too), cilantro, shallots and tofu in an “almost drinkable” coconut curry peanut sauce. Long gone is the need to leave home for an inspired delicious Thai meal.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil, divided

2 medium shallots, sliced into thin rings

Kosher salt

8 ounces dried Asian style wide noodles, such as udon

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

12 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into thumb-sized slices

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons ground tumeric

2 tablespoons Shoyu sauce, or other soy sauce

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped, divided

Directions

1. Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut or vegetable oil, then add the shallots. Allow to cook undisturbed until golden brown on the underside, about 3 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until very brown. Tip out onto a paper towel lined plate and season with salt. Set aside.

2. Return saucepan to the burner and reduce heat to medium. Add the other tablespoon of oil and then add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and red curry paste.

3. Mash the curry paste around in the pan to distribute it evenly. Cook until nice and fragrant, just a minute or two. Add the tofu and gently stir until coated with the curry paste.

4. Stir in the coconut milk, water, tumeric, soy sauce and sugar, bring to a simmer and simmer gently until the sauce gets nice and thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in half the cilantro leaves and the lime juice.

5. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in plenty of salted water according to the package directions. When they are just shy of done, use tongs to transfer them directly to the saucepan with the curry sauce. Stir in the lime juice.

6. To serve, heap big piles of noodles into individual bowls and top with a generous ladle of the sauce. Top with peanuts, shallots and the remaining cilantro.

Serves 3 to 4

Adapted from Super Natural Cooking