Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 60 g vegan thai red curry paste
Broth & Vegetables
- 800 ml vegetable broth
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
- 300 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 150 g snow peas, strings removed, halved diagonally
Noodles & Seasonings
- 100 g rice vermicelli noodles, dry
- 30 ml tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
- 15 g brown sugar
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the dry rice vermicelli noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water at 100 C / 212 F and let soak for 5 minutes, or until tender but still chewy. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced ginger and garlic, and saute for 1 minute until highly fragrant but not browned.
Add the vegan Thai red curry paste to the pot. Stir constantly and toast the paste for 2 minutes until the color deepens and the oils begin to separate slightly. This blooms the spices and builds depth.
Pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk, stirring to dissolve the curry paste completely. Add the diced sweet potato. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the snow peas, tamari, and brown sugar. Simmer for 2 more minutes until the snow peas are vibrant green and tender-crisp.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with more tamari for saltiness or sugar for sweetness if needed.
Divide the cooked vermicelli noodles among four serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup, sweet potatoes, and snow peas over the noodles. Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Toaling the curry paste in oil is a non-negotiable step. Frying the paste releases the essential oils in the galangal, lemongrass, and chilies, resulting in a significantly more complex flavor.
- Many commercial red curry pastes contain shrimp paste (kapi). To keep this recipe strictly vegetarian or vegan, read the ingredient label carefully. Brands like Maesri and Thai Kitchen often offer vegan options.
- If you want to add protein, consider pan-frying cubes of firm tofu separately and adding them right at the end, or stirring in edamame with the snow peas.
- Acidity dissipates when heated, which is why the lime juice must be stirred in off the heat just before serving to preserve its bright, fresh punch.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store noodles separately from the broth if possible to prevent them from absorbing all the liquid.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze the broth and sweet potatoes only. Snow peas and noodles will not survive freezing well and should be added fresh when reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering.
