Big bowls

It's cold, the snow is coming down and I want to have my dinners in a big bowl. For one, big bowls of food are comforting and I need comfort in these dark January days. Even better, when you lean over a big bowl of hot food, the steam defrosts your face and unclogs your sinuses. Yeah! Multitasking! And I can feel my nose again!

Anyway, as promised, here is my friend Emily's curried bean thread noodles.

This is a master recipe with an infinite number of variations, all of which are relatively healthy, fast and tasty.


Bean Thread Noodle Soup
serves 4

1/4 lb bean thread noodles
1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced, or a hunk of tofu cut into cubes
2 T Thai yellow curry paste (or red or green if that's what you prefer)
1 T canola oil
1 can coconut milk (light is fine)
1 can chicken or vegetable broth
1 small can bamboo shoots, sliced
2-3 cups of various vegetables--they can be fresh, they can be frozen, whatever you have. Here are some options: frozen or fresh peas, frozen or fresh green beans, sliced napa or regular green cabbage, mushrooms, sliced onion, red peppers, bok choi, broccoli, snow peas, canned baby corn, scallions, etc. I made the above version with snow peas, napa and frozen green beans.
4 T fish sauce
1 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1 or 2 limes sliced in wedges

Soak the noodles in hot water for 15 minutes, drain, and cut if you aren't big on slurping (I'm fine with slurping long noodles, but some people have more refined table manners).

Heat the oil in a wok or big pot and saute the curry paste until fragrant. Add the chicken or tofu and cook until chicken is opaque or tofu is well covered in the curry paste. Stir in coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add the bamboo shoots and vegetables and cook until for a minute or two until the vegetables aren't quite done.

Add the noodles and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serve in bowls with the chopped cilantro on top and a lime wedge.  Breathe deep!