6 oz. shallots peeled and halved (3-4 medium shallots)
4-6 garlic cloves peeled
2-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste see notes
2 lemon grass stalks trimmed to the bottom 6 inches, dry outer layers discarded, roughly chopped
one 2-inch piece of ginger peeled
8 raw cashews or macadamia nuts optional
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
stems of one bunch of cilantro (save leaves for garnish)
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Soup:
Peanut or vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs trimmed
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 14 oz. cans quality coconut milk (I love Chakoah)
1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce divided
2 tablespoons lime juice plus more to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
2-4 tablespoons chili paste divided, like Sambal Oelek
7 oz. 1/4-inch wide rice noodles/rice stick noodles
1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined
Toppings:
Bean Sprouts
julienned cucumbers
Asian chili paste
chopped cilantro
lime juice
Hard boiled eggs, halved
Asian chili paste
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with a little oil to keep them from sticking. Set aside. Add Laska Paste ingredients to your food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides down several times. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until seared, then flip over and cook just until shrimp are cooked through. Remove tails and add shrimp to a bowl. Toss cooked shrimp with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste. Set aside. Add Laska Paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chicken and 3 cups coconut milk (eyeball it). Whisk remaining coconut milk with cornstarch and add to pot followed by chicken broth, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, basil, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes, just until chicken is tender enough to easily shred. When chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before shredding. Meanwhile, cover soup, and reduce to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and replacing lid. This is a great time to prep your toppings. Stir in shredded chicken and cooked shrimp followed by 1-3 tablespoons chili sauce to taste. Add additional lime juice to taste for tangier (or individuals can add to their own bowls). Add additional fish sauce to taste (1 teaspoon at a time) for saltier. Divide noodles between 4-6 bowls then spoon soup over noodles. Garnish individual bowls with desired toppings.