Kao Soi

From Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott
serves 4-6

2 Tb veg oil + 2 cups
1 Tb finely chopped garlic
2 Tb red curry paste or panaeng curry paste
3/4 lb boneless chicken, but in big bite-size chunks, or boneless beef, such as tri-trip or flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
2 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2 tea ground turmeric or curry powder
2 Tb dark soy sauce or soy sauce
1 tea sugar
1 tea salt
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice
1 lb fresh or 1/2 lb dried Chinese-style egg noodles + a handful of fresh egg noodles per person
1/3 c coarsely chopped shallots
1/3 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c thinly sliced green onions

Make crispy noodle nests:
Heat 2 c veg oil in a wok or small deep skillet to about 375 degrees. Carefully add a handful of noodles, let it sizzle and brown a few seconds, turn gently with tongs, and transfer the "nest" to a platter to cool.

Make chicken curry:
Heat 2 Tb veg oil in a med saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic. Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1-2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice, remove from heat, and cover to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.

Make noodles:
Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water, until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh noodles and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again, and divide the noodles amoung individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot.