A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Dish--I didn't come up with the name

Took this from 101 Cookbooks....I added shrimp and sliced mushrooms to give it more substance. So good!

For the spice paste:
Chilies - 4 or 5 small, hot red ones
Garlic - 2 or 3 small cloves
Ginger - a small lump, about the size of a walnut in its shell
Lemon grass - 2 or 3 plump stalks
Coriander seeds - a few
Coriander leaves - a few (hs note: cilantro for all you non-brits)
Ground tumeric - a teaspoon
vegetable oil - a little

For the soup:
Stock - vegetable, 500 ml
Coconut milk - 400ml (lite is ok)
A lime - just the juice
Soy sauce
Mint - a small handful of leaves

To finish:
Noodles - I think I used about 1 lb....big, chubby, fresh asian egg ones.

Halve and seed the chilies. Peel the garlic. Peel and shred the ginger. Finely slice the tender, innermost leaves of the lemon grass. Grind the coriander seeds or crush them in a mortar. Blitz it all to a thick paste in a food processor with the coriander leaves and any well scrubbed roots, plus the tumeric. You may need a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to help it go round but add as little as you can.

Place a fairly deep pan over moderate heat, add half the spice paste (keep the other half in the fridge for tomorrow) and fry it, movingit round the pan, for a minute or so, then pour in the stock, coconut milk, and a splash of soy sauce -- let it come to the boil. Turn the heat down and let the soup simer for ten minutes. Meanwhile cook the noodles briefly in boiling water and drain them.

Divide the noodles between four large, deep bowls and ladle over hot soup. Sprinkle with mint leaves.

Serves about 4.

Vietnamese Noodle Bowl with Fried Tofu

½ lb dry rice noodles
½ lb firm tofu, cut into 1 inch squares
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
½ cucumber, peeled and cut into thin 3 inch pieces
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced
1 egg, beat into a small bowl
½ cup panko bread crumbs
3 tbsp sesame oil
Chili sauce
Hoisin sauce

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a deep pan or wok, heat sesame oil under medium to high heat. Dip tofu squares first into the egg and then into panko bread crumbs, and finally into pan. Flip after 5 minutes or when bottom becomes evenly fried.

3. Place noodles into separate bowls and add chili and hoisin sauce. Layer tofu, cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro on top.

Vietnamese Shredded Mango Salad

3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp water
½ tsp chili-garlic sauce (optional)
2 ½ cups shredded mango
½ cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tbsp chopped roasted and salted peanuts

Serves 4

1. In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, water and chili-garlic and stir well.

2. Add mango, carrots and mint. Toss well and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Top with chopped peanuts and cilantro and serve at room temperature.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

½ lb rice noodles, angle hair pasta or somen noodles
10 round rice paper sheets
10 Bibb, Boston or other lettuce leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
5 green onions, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 3 inch strips
12 medium shrimp, cooked, peeled and halved lengthwise


Makes 8-10 Rolls

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Drop in noodles and remove from heat, then let stand 8-10 minutes, stirring noodles now and then to separate. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. Arrange all the ingredients in separate dishes around a cutting board or tray.

3. Soak one rice paper sheet in water for 15 seconds, remove and drain and place on cutting board.

4. On the bottom third of the sheet, layer a small tangle of noodles, some lettuce strips, mint leaves, cilantro and green onions.

5. Lift the bottom of the sheet and roll it over the filling, tucking it under to form a tight cylinder. Once the filling is enclosed, fold the sides in tightly.

6. Place two shrimp halves along the top of the cylinder and then continue to roll the wrapper to the top, wetting it a little to seal. Serve with peanut sauce.

Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut and Lemongrass

Ingredients:

6 cups good-quality chicken stock (Serves 2 as the main entree, or 4-6 as an appetizer)

1-2 chicken breasts, sliced, OR 1-2 cups roasted chicken or turkey

1 lemongrass 1 stalk, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass

4 kaffir limes leaves (fresh or frozen)

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated

1-3 fresh red chilies, minced (to taste), OR substitute 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili

1/2 to 1 can good-quality coconut milk

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2+ Tbsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. brown sugar (optional, according to taste)

handful fresh coriander leaves

handful fresh basil leaves

3 spring (green) onions, sliced

optional: other vegetables, like sliced bell pepper or cherry tomatoes

optional: *wheat or rice noodles, if serving as the main course (see tip below)

Preparation:

· Slice and mince the lower portion of the lemongrass stalk. Retain the upper stalk for the soup pot.

· Place chicken broth in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. If you have leftover chicken or turkey bones, add those too. Bring to a boil.

· Add fresh chicken (or leftover chicken or turkey) and mushrooms. Also add the prepared lemongrass (including upper stalk pieces), plus kaffir lime leaves and fresh chili. Boil 5-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.

· Turn heat down to medium. Add the galangal or ginger, 1/2 can coconut milk, the fish sauce, and extra vegetables (if using). Stir well. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes.

· Turn heat down to minimum. Add lime juice and stir.

· Do a taste test. Look for a balance between spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors. Start with salty, adding more fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough (1 Tbsp. at a time). If too sour, add the sugar plus a little more if you need it. If too spicy, or if you'd like it creamier, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough, add more chili.

· Ladle soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle a little fresh coriander, basil, and spring onion over each bowl.

*Tip: If Serving with Noodles, I find it's best to prepare them separately from the soup, otherwise the soup becomes too thick (due to the starch from the noodles). Also, your leftovers will taste better this way. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Tossed with Greens

Makes: 4 servings

Start to Finish: 20 minutes

ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 6 oz. medium rice sticks (noodles)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Sweet Spice-Rubbed Chicken breast halves, thawed and sliced
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 medium green onion, sliced
• 1 cup arugula leaves
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
• Crushed red pepper (optional)

directions

1. Bring water to boiling. Place noodles in large bowl. Add boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

2. In large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice, soy sauce, and green onion. Transfer to noodles in bowl. Add arugula, basil, and cilantro to noodles. Toss to combine. Sprinkle crushed red pepper. Makes 4 servings.