This Green Curry Noodle Soup is the perfect cold-weather comfort food! Tender noodles in a luscious curry-spiced coconut milk broth with chicken and veggies -- what's not to love?!
OIL AND AROMATICS: Add oil to a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Thinly slice green onions and separate the white part from the green (save the top half for garnish). Measure out 1/2 cup of the white part of the sliced onions and add to pot along with ginger, garlic, and lemongrass. Sauté until soft, 3-5 minutes. While you get this going, bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles.
SIMMER: Once the green onions are soft, add in curry paste and ground coriander. Stir constantly for 2-4 minutes or until very fragrant. Don't rush this-- we're creating the foundation of flavor. Increase heat to medium high and while stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, gradually add in 1 cup of chicken stock until incorporated. Add in the rest of the chicken stock and the entire can of coconut milk. Stir until smooth then add in the frozen edamame, soy sauce, and lime juice.
FINISHBROTH: Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, I typically add 1/4 teaspoon of each. Add 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar if needed to offset spice. Here's where you'll want to take a minute to adjust other flavors -- See Note 5.
NOODLES: Meanwhile, the water should be boiling. Boil lo mein noodles according to package directions. Drain and do not run under water. Right after draining, use tongs to divide the noodles equally among 4 large soup bowls. Dice up the chicken and divide evenly among the 4 bowls (1/2 cup diced chicken per bowl) right on top of noodles.
SERVE: When ready to serve, ladle edamame and broth right on top of the noodles and chicken. Top bowls with reserved green onions. Garnish, if desired, with fresh cilantro, additional lime wedges, and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce if desired. Enjoy immediately.
STORAGE: If you'd like to have this soup for leftovers, keep the noodles and chicken separate from the edamame broth. Combine the two just before eating.
Notes
Note 1:Garlic, ginger, andlemongrass paste: To keep things quick, grab refrigerated minced garlic and refrigerated ginger paste. As far as lemongrass paste -- it can be tricky to find, but it adds loads of flavor. I've had no problem finding it at my local Asian market, but often purchase it online for ease. If you can't find it, the soup is still tasty without it!Note 2: Green curry paste: This provides the primary flavor for this soup. You'll likely find it in the international section of your grocery store. Otherwise, purchase at an Asian grocery store or online. If there is a green curry paste you know and love, start there! We've tested both Maesri and Thai Kitchen in this recipe. The intensity and flavor of the curry paste will vary a good deal from brand to brand. We typically use about 2-4 tablespoons of Maesri curry paste (it's a lot spicier) and 4-6 tablespoons when using Thai Kitchen -- both of these amounts ensure bold flavors without too much heat since the coconut milk sweetness offsets the heat so much. Add to personal preference and if you aren't sure start with less since you can always add more later. Note 3: Coconut milk: The coconut milk really offsets the spice of the curry paste, so be sure to get a full-fat one (lite coconut milk won't thicken as nicely and won't offset the spice as well). We use Imperial Kitchen in this recipe. Note 4: Lo mein noodles: We love lo mein (also found in the international section of your grocery store) but have also tried ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets) and even thin spaghetti will work. Pretty much whatever noodles you have on hand will be fine -- just stick to the 4 ounces. We've also tested rice noodles and enjoyed that, but prefer the lo mein.Note 5: Adjusting flavors: After the soup has simmered, it's time to really bring the flavors alive! This is where some taste testing and experimentation come on your part. Add in extra fresh lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, curry paste salt, etc. all to personal preference. The amounts of these ingredients will vary based on the curry paste and coconut milk you used and your personal taste preferences. Salt is hugely important in helping to bring out and enhance existing flavors.