Amazing Coconut Curry Soup for Cold Times

     I travelled to Fairbanks recently.  Ostensibly to attend a wedding, it was also a perfectly viable excuse to visit a place I'd never been to, and to see the Aurora Borealis.  There were plans in there for hot springs and snowmobiling as well.  The weather promised to be über frigid, and we were braced.  Only to find that there was a cloud cover many of the days sufficiently so that the weather was balmy in the teens and twenties.  For them anyway.
     No Aurora was to be seen, unfortunately, due to my strong desire to sleep combined with said cloud cover.  And while that was a failure, another opportunity arose:  we were graciously served a curry soup by one of my sister's friends, Amanda, while there that demanded a recipe request.  The soup was spicy but not overly so, and full of flavor.  It totally hit the spot.  While balmy by Fairbanks standards, it was still cold.
     The soup was reminiscent of one I had made last year for my book club.  That one was a Malaysian Laksa, which had many of the same qualities.  This one, Khao Soi, was so similar that, when I held the recipes up and compared, it was more than coincidental.  They were nearly identical.
 
     Well, there is snow on the ground here too, and the temperatures are below freezing.  Time for more soup.  But which one?  It turns out I morphed them together and took liberties.  I also increased the vegetable count so that it was less brothy and more solid matter.  But the beauty is that it is also incredibly forgiving.  Don't want to add all the vegetables?  Don't.  Serving it to vegans?  No problem.  What if they are gluten free too?  Yup.  None of that changes the basic flavors and idea.  The idea is this:   you make a chili paste of several ingredients, sauté said paste in oil then add broth and coconut milk.  To this you add a protein, some vegetables and season with fish sauce.  You put a series of condiments on top.   To seal the deal:  it takes less than 30 minutes.
     I am sure that this is lacking in the authenticity department.  Now that I have morphed it, it is even more divergent.  What to call it?  Khao Laksa?  Laksa Soi?  Amazing Coconut Curry Soup from a place where the temperature is in the 80's?  For whatever it is worth, the recipe from Amanda couldn't be all that authentic either, as it uses guajillo chilis---aren't those from this continent?  I see she got it from Bon Appetit.  No matter.  The Laksa recipe was a morphing of two recipes, and the Khao Soi from Bon Appetit.  Know only this:  the tumeric, in whichever form you use is a devoted staining agent.  You wipe your hands on your pants, and they are blessed with yellow prints.  Same goes for your sink, and so have a care.  The upside is that your toes will be warm and you will be happy.   And you can imagine you are in a place where it's warm and sunny.
     This is my version.  The Laksa is too morphed to give credit, the Khao Soi in it's original form can be found here  Chicken Khao Soi

Amazing Curry Soup

serves 4-6

Make the paste:  

2-5 chilis---jalapeno, cherry bomb, seeded (see note)

2" piece of ginger, peeled and cut in 1/2" chunks

5 garlic cloves

2-3 shallots

stems from 1 bunch of cilantro (reserve the leaves for later)

1T coriander

1T tumeric (or use 1" piece of fresh if you can get it)

1 tsp curry powder

Grind the 1st 4 ingredients in a food processor until finely minced, then add the rest.  

Make the soup:  

2T peanut or vegetable oil

2 x 14oz cans of coconut milk

2-4 c broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 lb protein:  i.e. chicken cut in 1" pieces, firm tofu in 1" pieces , salmon or halibut chunks

1 lb Chinese egg noodles, rice noodles, or if you are lucky to find it:  black rice ramen noodles

3T fish sauce (Red Boat is best)

1T palm sugar

Optional vegetables: 

1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms

spinach

cilantro

sliced jalapeno

sliced red peppers

Garnishes: 

sliced red onion, fried shallot, cilantro, chili oil, sriracha sauce, LIMES---this is a must

Have everything ready to go.  This is a mise en place situation. 

First get the noodles ready:  they need to be mostly cooked.  If you are using rice noodles, soak in warm water until pliable.  If using ramen or Chinese noodles, cook to barely al dente according to package instructions.  Then run them under cold water and drain.  Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a soup pot large enough to hold all the volume.  

Add the paste and saute for 5 minutes, do not let burn.  Add the broth and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil.  

Then what you add depends on what you are using:  if you are using mushrooms, now is the time.  Same with the red pepper.  If you are adding chicken or tofu, add it too.  All must be heated and cooked, soup bubbling nicely.  When ready to finish, add the seafood if this is the protein source, as well as the spinach, a handful of cilantro.  This wave of add ins will only take 1-2 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.  When these are done add the noodles until they are heated through.  Add fish sauce and sugar and correct seasonings.  Serve hot, with garnishes on the table.  

Note:  The way to add or subtract heat is to dial the peppers up or down.  I have served this to guests who are averse to any spice, using cherry bomb peppers, which are not hot.  But some heat is nice.  I would go up from there and keep adding until you get the level that suits you.  You can always add chili oil or sriracha if you find it insufficiently warming.