Ingredients

• 1 shallot
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 inch piece of ginger root, grated
• 2 tbsp of thai red curry paste (thai kitchen)
• 1 red bird’s eye/thai chile pepper (seeds removed)
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• ¼ tsp of sweet paprika powder
• ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp of sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, outer casing removed
• ¼ cup of smooth natural peanut butter
• 1 tsp of coconut sugar
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp of light tamari or soy sauce
• 4 – 6 cups of chicken broth
• 6 – 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 – 3 bunches of shanghai bok choy
• 1 lime + zest of the lime
• 1 package of medium-sized rice noodles
• 1 tsp of toasted sesame seed oil
• Coconut oil or olive oil for cooking
• Cilantro + bean sprouts for garnish
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a food processor or using a mortar and pestle, add the shallot, garlic, ginger root, red curry paste, and birds eye chile pepper. Grind into a paste. Set aside.
2. Season chicken with sea salt and pepper.
3. Bring a dutch oven or deep skillet to medium heat. Add the spices (coriander powder, cumin, sweet paprika and turmeric) Toast for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant. Then add 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the curry paste you just made. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes then add in your chicken thighs and cook for 2 minutes a side until browned. Add in your chicken stock (use 6 cups if you need broth to serve 4 people), tamari sauce, and a can of coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Lightly whisk to combine and remove any clumps from the coconut milk. Add in your bay leaves, lemongrass (remove outer stalks and bruise it a bit to release the flavours) and lime zest. Simmer until chicken thighs are cooked, approximately 10 – 12 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken thighs from the stock and set aside.
5. Taste your stock and add any more sea salt and pepper and simmer on low, covered. In the meantime cook your rice noodles as per the package directions, don’t overcook. Once cooked, strain them, rinse with cold water, and toss with some sea salt and sesame seed oil and set aside, covered.
6. After the stock has been simmering for 10 minutes or so, remove the bay leaves and lemongrass stocks. There may be some texture from the paste that you made. If you want a silky broth you could strain it through a sieve at this time and add it back to the pot.
7. Add in ¼ cup of peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Make sure you don’t use the chunky peanut butter and not the kind with sugar. Squeeze in the lime juice from 1 lime and add in coconut sugar. Chop/shred your chicken thighs and add it back to the broth along with your bok choy roughly chopped. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Taste test and add any more sea salt, pepper or lime juice.
8. In a bowl add in some rice noodles, ladle your broth overtop. Garnish with cilantro and bean sprouts.
9. Store noodles separate from the broth.

https://deliamota.com/peanut-butter-curry-laksa-soup/