Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 340 g rice noodles
- 3 g coriander seeds
- 3 g cumin seeds
- 3 g fennel seeds
- 6 allspice berries
- 30 ml coconut oil
- 100 g onion, finely diced
- 12 g lemongrass, finely chopped
- 3 g garlic, grated
- 4 g ginger, grated
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
- 9 g turmeric
- 1 g cayenne
- 1 lime zest
- 30 ml lime juice
- 5 ml fish sauce
- 475 ml coconut milk
- 450 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 475 ml cherry tomato, halved
- 48 g scallion, slivered
- 5 g mint leaves, for garnish
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 644 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 70 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 722 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 25 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 145 mg
- Potassium
- 904 mg
- Calcium
- 136 mg
- Iron
- 5.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 106 mg
- Phosphorus
- 444 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 1.7 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 268 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Boil the rice noodles in a pot according to the package instructions until tender.
Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water. Set aside and maintain a pot of hot water for later reheating.
Place coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and allspice berries in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until the spices become aromatic.
Transfer the toasted spices to a spice mill or mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder.
Heat coconut oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until softened.
Add the chopped lemongrass, grated garlic, and grated ginger to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
Stir in the ground spices, turmeric, cayenne, lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the coconut mixture gently for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
Season the shrimp and halved tomatoes with salt. Add them to the skillet, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the shrimp reach 63°C (145°F) and are opaque.
Briefly submerge the cooked noodles in the reserved hot water to reheat, then drain.
Distribute the noodles among serving bowls. Spoon the shrimp, tomatoes, and curry sauce over the noodles. Garnish with scallions and mint leaves.
Chef's Notes
- Toast the spices until fragrant but not burnt to avoid bitterness. A dry skillet over medium heat is ideal for this.
- For a deeper flavor, consider making a curry paste from scratch by blending the toasted spices with shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and chilies.
- Don't overcook the shrimp; they cook very quickly in the sauce and can become tough if left in too long. Aim for just opaque.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne) at the end of cooking to balance the sweet, sour, salty, and spicy elements.
- For a richer sauce, use full-fat coconut milk. If you prefer a lighter dish, you can use light coconut milk, but the sauce may be thinner.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store noodles and sauce separately to prevent the noodles from absorbing all the liquid.
Reheating: Warm the sauce gently on the stovetop and add freshly boiled noodles.
Troubleshooting
Shrimp are tough and rubbery
Cause: The shrimp were overcooked by staying in the simmering liquid too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Remove the skillet from the heat as soon as the shrimp turn pink and opaque.
Noodles are stuck together in a clump
Cause: Excess starch was not rinsed off or the noodles sat for too long without moisture.
Fix: Rinse again under hot water to loosen the strands before serving.
Prevention: Rinse very thoroughly with cold water after the initial boil.
Cultural Context
Curry noodles are a popular dish across Southeast Asia, with variations found in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. This iteration, featuring coconut milk and shrimp, draws inspiration from the rich and aromatic flavors characteristic of Thai and Malaysian cuisine, often enjoyed as a comforting and flavorful meal.
