Thai Curry Noodle Bowl with Sweet Potatoes & Chicken

Thai Curry Noodle Bowl with Sweet Potatoes & Chicken
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons shallots, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons lemongrass, minced*
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons Thai red curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons hot chili paste
one 14 oz can coconut milk
one 14 oz can light coconut milk
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons natural cane sugar
2-3 cups snow peas, trimmed
3 cups sweet potato, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 pound dried rice stick noodles
3/4 pound chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4″ strips
juice of one lime

Garnishes
a few green onions, sliced
half of a red onion, thinly sliced
a few handfuls of cilantro
4 green Thai bird chiles
1-2 limes, cut into wedges

*Lemongrass can be intimidating! Simply remove several of the tough outer leaves and then use only the bottom 3-4 inches of the stalk. Discard the rest.

1.) Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. When hot, add shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger and stir for 1-2 minutes; until fragrant. Lower heat to medium-low. Add the curry paste, curry powder, chili paste, and use a spoon to really work them into the shallot mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and cook until thickened and very fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside and keep warm.

2.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the snow peas and cook until vibrantly green; about 20 seconds. Using a handheld strainer, remove peas from water and set aside. Bring water back to a boil and add sweet potatoes. Cook until fork-tender; about 7-8 minutes. Using a handheld strainer, remove potatoes from water and set aside. Cook noodles in the same pot of water according to package directions. Your noodles are likely to be very long and unruly, so at this point feel free to use a pair of kitchen shears to cut them up a bit. Set aside.

3.) Bring the broth mixture to a simmer, add chicken, and simmer until cooked through; 8-10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and the lime juice and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.

4.) To serve, place a handful of noodles into each serving bowl and then ladle the broth mixture over the noodles. Divide snow peas evenly amongst the bowls. Garnish with the green onion, red onion, cilantro, chiles, and serve with wedges of lime.