This bastardisation of two iconic Asian dishes, Thai green curry and Vietnamese pho, is in no way authentic. But it's very easy and extremely tasty.
There are two ways to cook this dish: from scratch, as in the recipe below, or using a Thai vegetable green curry base (see also the Building Blocks recipe). If you cook it from scratch, it takes between 40 to 60mins. But I almost always make it from a (defrosted) Thai vegetable green curry base, in which case it takes only about 15 to 20 mins.
This recipe serves two to three adults. But, it's really easy to scale up: simply increase the pho "soup" volume by adding more liquid ingredients, more noodles and/or more veg and protein. Live dangerously and play it by ear. It's pretty hard to f**k up.
In the recipe below, my personal favourite ingredients are in block italics. But the other options (or any combination thereof) work perfectly well.
Shopping list (for the from-scratch version)
1 large brown or white onion; finely diced
4 to 5 large celery sticks; cut into sections 3 to 4cm long
sweet—carrots OR butternut squash (cut into large cubes) OR yellow bell peppers cut into large segments. Approx. 100g
bitter— Thai aubergines; cut into halves or quarters depending on size OR green bell peppers cut into large pieces OR celeriac; cubed. Approx. 100g.
neutral/green— (tender stem) broccoli; broken into rough segments OR baby sweetcorn; cut roughly in half OR mange tout. Approx. 100g
2 stock cubes/jellies - vegetable or fish (if opting for the white fish version; see below)
4 to 5 heaped teaspoons of Thai green curry paste ("Gang Keow Wan"). Yes, you can do the whole make-your-own thing, but I strongly recommend using a reputable readymade brand such as the one by Thai Taste. Save yourself the sad look of trying to claim you do it better...
Large king prawns OR "seafood mix" (prawns, calamari, mussels) OR white fish (haddock, coli, hake, cod etc.)— Approx. 200g in their raw (defrosted) state.
1 stick lemongrass
1 tin coconut milk OR 1 small carton coconut cream
Water, as needed. And it's needed
A small bunch of Asian basil (optional)
Dried rice noodles; about 60 to 100g (dried) per diner. There are many options on the market, but I'm personally feeling the love for the ease-to-quality balance of MAMA's instant version.
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 to 3 hot red chillies, finely sliced
"Wok" oil (or any relevant combo of peanut, sesame and chilli oil)
A handful of roasted peanuts; roasted and roughly crushed using a pestle and mortar
A few sprigs of coriander; finely chopped (optional)
The juice of half a lime (optional)
Cooking method
Part one - the pho ho ho
Heat a little wok oil on a high heat in a large saucepan (with a lid); add the diced onion and sweat until it starts to turn golden
Throw in the celery and sweat together further, covered and stirring occasionally (add a little water if it begins to stick)
Boil the kettle and dilute the stock cubes in approx. 500ml water
While the onions and celery are sweating, add the Thai green curry paste, stirring constantly and ensuring that nothing burns or sticks. Add a little (i.e. no more than a few tabspns) of the coconut milk/cream if needed to lubricate/hydrate the contents of the pot.
Slowly add the liquid stock, no more than 100ml at a time. Each time allow it to bubble and simmer a while before adding more.
Once all of the stock is added, start to add your vegetables, starting with the ones that take the longest to to cook e.g. Thai aubergines or butternut squash
Gradually, add each vegetable alternating with a little more coconut milk/coconut cream (with about a quarter of a cup of water at the same time if using the cream)
Once all of the veggies are added (and generously covered in liquid), add the whole washed stick of lemongrass and bring to the boil. Add the Asian basil if this stage if you are using it.
Allow to boil vigorously for no more than 5 or 6 mins. Then, reduce the heat substantially so that the liquid is barely simmering. Allow to simmer for about 30mins, checking the veggies with a fork and occasionally stirring to prevent sticking. If needed, increase the heat a little to ensure that all vegetables are cooked appropriately. Some—such as broccoli or mange tout—work well if still a little al dente. But others, such as Thai aubergine or butternut squash, need to be fully tender.
Part two - the making of the meal
When your "soup" reaches taste maturity that makes you certain it's going to be delicious in about 5 to 10mins, heat a little wok (or alternative) oil in a frying pan or small wok. As it heats, add the spring onion and wait until it starts to sizzle.
This is your cue to throw in the majority of the sliced red chillies. Stir to ensure that nothing sticks or burns. Add the raw large king prawns (or alternatives), stirring constantly. When their flesh appears to be cooked (e.g. 3 to 4 mins) turn the heat off and swill the pan around as needed to prevent burning/sticking
Meanwhile, boil the kettle and place the dried rice noodles in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and allow them to soak for 2mins. Drain thoroughly in a colander, shaking to get rid of the excess water.
Turn up the heat on your "soup" so that it begins to boil vigorously. Add the noodles and allow it to boil for no more than a minute.
Add in three quarters of your prawn-slash-protein pan, chillies, spring onions and all. Hold back the remainder for "dressing". When the added prawns have been absorbed into the boiling liquid, turn off the heat and cover.
Part three - serving
Plate into deep bowls suitable for "meal soups". Using the method (and implements) used to serve spaghetti, first portion the noodles into each dish, followed by spooning out the "soup"
Finally, dress with the last few king prawns (or alternatives) in the pan, then the crushed peanuts and the remaining raw red chillies.
Variations
This dish fundamentally exists on an axis of heat-to-creaminess. I'm not going to try to frame it in terms of "adults" and "children". As one of those kids who could—eagerly munching amidst siblings who were equally sated—chomp on raw chillies and loved "hot" food, spice relativity is not always age-mediated in my experience
But here's the deal: you want it less spicy, add more coconut. You want it more spicy: add more red chillies (at either the cooking or serving stage).
With this one, while, you might traverse the Capsaicinoid Valley of Death, yah, shall you fear no evil. Basically you need to trust and respect whomever you're feeding; your nippers or otherwise.
Pairings
Another of those dishes that has never benefitted from me taking it seriously: like I said, it's too often an easy, "leftovers" dish. But, given how good it was tonight, this needs to change.
Tonight I had it with a glass or so from the remainder of a bottle of Vinedos Barrihuelo Rioja Denominacion de Origen Calificada Blanco 2019. It was a surprisingly good combo given the "make do and mend" context of such an unassuming supermarket wine.
I was always taught that with Rioja whites that they were "only heaven or hell and no purgatory in between". This didn't sit in any of those spaces, but it was entirely well matched. As is my answer for so much else: we need to get Karel on the case (of wine).
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