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–+ servings

Creamy Noodles with Cabbage in Tangy Coconut Sauce

Thin Chinese noodles are cooked, then mixed with lightly steamed cabbage and tossed with fresh Thai basil and a Thai-style sauce, made from coconut milk and Red Curry paste. The mixture is heated till steaming hot, and served, garnished with a lime wedge, cilantro, and lots of crushed roasted peanuts.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 people
Calories 364 kcal

Equipment

  • Microwave oven; if not available, can prepare on the stove-top. Detailed instructions in Recipe Notes
  • Microwave-safe, wide glass/ceramic containers- (pie plate, casserole dish OK)

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cooked thin Chinese noodles: cooked and smeared with 1/2 tsp oil also sold as Hakka noodles (wheat) in Indian grocery stores; vegetarian noodles
  • 4 cups cabbage - shredded green cabbage; Napa/Savoy Cabbage OK too
  • 1/2 inch (piece) fresh ginger slivered thin, 1/2 inch pieces; or finely chopped/shredded
  • 4 tbsp coconut milk canned or fresh; divided: 2 + 2 tbsp
  • 2 tsp Thai Red Curry paste store-bought OK
  • 2 tsp Fresh red chilli paste home-made, or store-bought Sambal Oelek brand, or other preferred brand; adjust as per spice level preference
  • 10-12 leaves fresh Thai basil leaves; torn roughly to release flavor; if not available, omit
  • 1 tsp fresh garlic (optional) minced/grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt adjust as per taste preference
  • 2 tsp Jaggery Powder also called Gud / Punjabi Shakkar; if not available, light brown/white sugar OK; adjust as per taste preference

Garnish

  • 1 tbsp fresh lime/lemon juice fresh preferred; if not available, bottled juice OK
  • 6 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts- crushed coarsely
  • 1/4 cup cilantro- chopped

Instructions
 

  • Set water to boil in a large pot for cooking the noodles. Put enough water so that the noodles do not get crowded while cooking.
  • While it is heating up, wash and shred the cabbage and prep the ginger.
  • Spread ginger on top of the cabbage and microwave in a shallow, wide glass/ceramic bowl, uncovered, for 2 min on high. (See recipe notes for alternative stove-top directions)
  • Mix 2 tbsp of coconut milk with the Red Curry paste, fresh chilli paste, salt and jaggery powder.
  • Pour the sauce on top of the cabbage - spread it out.
  • When water starts boiling, add the noodles to the boiling water. Stir and watch closely to prevent overcooking. Follow cooking directions on package - typically takes only 2 1/2-3 min. Strain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop further cooking and remove residual starch from the noodles.
  • Drizzle with 1/2 tsp oil, mix gently to spread the oil and set aside, spread out on top of the cabbage.
  • Using your fingers, gently stir to mix cabbage and the seasoned coconut milk with the noodles. I like to do this with my hands, rather than with tongs, which can cause the delicate noodles to break. Set aside for about 5 min to allow flavors to blend.
  • When ready to serve, tear the Thai basil leaves to release their flavor and tuck them inside the noodle cabbage mixture (spread them out). Drizzle the remaining coconut milk evenly over the top and microwave, uncovered, for 4-5 min on medium high (50% power), till steaming hot. (See recipe notes for alternative stove-top directions)
  • Squeeze lime juice all over, top with crushed peanuts and cilantro, and serve immediately with a lime wedge.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Cooking Chinese Noodles:
Thin Chinese noodles cook very fast - only need 2-3 min, so be careful not to overcook them. Straining while hot and rinsing in the colander with cold water, stops the cooking process, removes excess starch and prevent the noodles from sticking and forming clumps. Smearing with a bit of oil also helps prevent the noodles from sticking.
Cooking without microwave:
I recommend using a steamer pot if a microwave oven is not available. If you do not have a steamer pot, but have a pressure cooker, that works too. Just remember to remove the pressure-weight on the top (on the lid), otherwise you will be pressure-cooking, not steaming! That will be quite disastrous, since everything will get seriously overcooked and mushy!
It will take a bit longer than in the microwave, but the results will be similar. Steaming the cabbage will take about 6-7 min - the cabbage will wilt and shrink in volume significantly. The final steaming before serving will take about 6-7 min.
Direct heating on stove-top in a frying pan:
For this recipe, I do NOT recommend direct heating on a frying pan on the stove-top for cooking the cabbage and for the final heating before serving.
However, if that is your only option, here are suggestions that will help: Splash a little water (1-2 tbsp) after spreading out the cabbage on the wide frying pan - do NOT stir. Cover and cook for about 10 min on low heat.  Likewise, for the final heating, splash some water - allow it to soak through to the bottom, do NOT stir, cover and heat on low heat for about 7-8 min. Splashing with the water will minimize the likelihood of burning on the bottom of the pan due to the direct heat. The added water gets heated to steam, which then percolates through the food.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 12gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 430mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 596IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 3mg
Keyword cabbage, cilantro, coconut milk, crushed roasted Peanuts, ginger, Jaggery powder, lemon juice, light brown sugar, lime juice, red chilli paste, red curry paste, Thai basil leaves, Thin Chinese noodles
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