Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Broth
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 50 g thai red curry paste
- 240 ml chicken or seafood broth, warm
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 15 g palm sugar, finely chopped
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn, stems removed
- 1 lemongrass, bruised and cut into 5cm lengths
Protein & Noodles
- 400 g large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 200 g dried rice noodles, medium width like sen lek or pad thai noodles
Garnish
- 100 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 30 g roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 575 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1003 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 162 mg
- Potassium
- 882 mg
- Calcium
- 125 mg
- Iron
- 5.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 144 mg
- Phosphorus
- 524 mg
- Zinc
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 2.4 mg
- Folate
- 39 mcg
- Water
- 251 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the dried rice noodles in a medium pot or large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let soak until pliable and tender, usually 5 to 8 minutes depending on the brand. Drain thoroughly in a colander, rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch and stop the cooking, then set aside.
Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Scoop about 60ml of the thick coconut cream from the top into a large wok or skillet. Heat over medium heat until the cream bubbles and begins to reduce.
Add the Thai red curry paste to the hot coconut cream. Stir continuously until the paste becomes highly fragrant and the coconut oil begins to separate and pool around the edges of the paste, taking about 3 minutes.
Pour in the remaining coconut milk and the warm broth. Stir to dissolve the curry paste completely. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, bruised lemongrass, and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook to meld the flavors for 10 minutes.
Carefully add the peeled shrimp to the gently simmering broth. To ensure food safety, wash your hands and the cutting board after handling the raw seafood. Poach the shrimp until they turn opaque and firm, reaching a safe internal temperature of 74°C or 165°F. Remove the wok from the heat immediately.
Divide the prepared rice noodles evenly among four deep bowls. Use tongs to distribute the cooked shrimp, then ladle the hot, fragrant coconut broth generously over the noodles. Discard the woody lemongrass stalks. Garnish each bowl with fresh bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, and crushed roasted peanuts. Serve immediately with a lime wedge on the side.
Chef's Notes
- Frying the curry paste in the separated coconut cream is a foundational Thai technique known as chao kathi. Do not rush this step, as it unlocks the fat-soluble flavor compounds in the spices.
- Because heat levels vary wildly between brands of curry paste, start with the recommended 50 grams and add more if you prefer a spicier dish.
- Bruising the lemongrass lightly with the back of your knife or a rolling pin helps shatter the fibrous cells, releasing its fragrant citrus oils into the broth.
- Fresh rice noodles can be used instead of dried; simply blanch them in boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds to warm them through before plating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the broth and shrimp separately from the noodles to prevent the noodles from absorbing all the liquid and becoming mushy.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the broth only. Shrimp will become tough upon reheating, and rice noodles do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat the broth gently on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming. Pour over fresh or briefly soaked rice noodles.
Troubleshooting
Coconut sauce curdles or looks excessively grainy
Cause: Boiling the coconut milk too vigorously or using a low-fat coconut milk product that lacks stabilizing fats.
Fix: Stir in a splash of water or a spoonful of smooth coconut cream off the heat to help re-emulsify the sauce.
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer once the bulk of the coconut milk is added, and use high-quality, full-fat coconut milk.
Shrimp have a tough, rubbery texture
Cause: Overcooking the shrimp by leaving them in the simmering broth for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Add the shrimp at the very end of the cooking process and remove the pan from the heat as soon as they turn pink.
Broth lacks depth and tastes flat
Cause: Curry paste was not fried long enough to release its essential oils, or insufficient salt and sugar.
Fix: Add small increments of fish sauce for saltiness and umami, or a pinch of sugar for sweetness, until the flavor pops.
Prevention: Ensure the curry paste is fried until the oil separates. Taste and balance seasoning before adding the shrimp.
Cultural Context
Noodle dishes in Thailand are heavily influenced by Chinese migration but have been entirely adapted to local palates through the integration of indigenous ingredients like coconut milk, galangal, and kaffir lime. Serving curries over fermented or fresh rice noodles is a hallmark of Thai street food culture, particularly in Central and Southern Thailand where seafood and coconut palms are abundant. The interplay of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty flavors in a single bowl represents the core philosophy of balance in Thai gastronomy.
