It’s not surprising that in Charleston, South Carolina, you are inspired by the food.  One of the top destinations for foodies,  I am always looking forward to all of the new restaurants this city has to offer.  On my second night, I ventured to a favorite lunch spot and tried my hand at dinner with a Thai noodle bowl. Oh my – it was so decadent, full of veggies and a rich, coconut broth.

Thai flavors are a delicate balance of heat, bitter, sweet and sour. It’s important that you use these ingredients and not leave an item out or you may not get the right flavor profile.  For my “hot” I used chili garlic sauce but red curry paste or sriracha are options. For sweet I used basic sugar and a small bit of fish sauce for bitter – you need only a small amount since it’s high in sodium.  The sour comes from the squirt of lime juice at the end.

My interpretation also includes veggie broth (I used Trader Joe’s Miso Ginger) and I combined it with low fat coconut milk. However, I would recommend using the full fat version and mixing with the broth to your level of thickness. Some of the fat is necessary in getting that creaminess.

I also used something new: edamame pasta – with half of the carbs of regular pasta it does well in this bowl that leans on more liquid to disguise a bit of it’s texture.

Recipe – Serves 2

1 1/2 – 2 cups of veggie broth (I used Trader Joe’s Ginger and Miso)

1 can of coconut milk*

1 1/2 tbsp of chili garlic sauce (or red curry paste)

1 1/2 tbsp of sugar

3/4 tbsp of fish sauce

3 cups of vegetables (shitake mushrooms, broccoli, kale, cabbage, asparagus, carrots, peas – whatever you like)

4 oz of noodles (soba, rice, spaghetti)

To finish: Cilantro and lime

In a medium sized skillet combine the first five ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly.

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil and cook noodles per package directions. Drain and set aside.

In another skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of broth and add vegetables. Heat for about five minutes just until they are partially cooked and still are green. Add vegetables to broth and stir.

Pour broth mixture into a serving bowl and add cooked noodles. Top with cilantro and squeeze of lime.

NOTES and TIPS:

A full fat version of coconut milk is recommended which can be diluted to your liking.  Otherwise I found you are getting a watered down coconut milk when using the “lite” version.

You can add the vegetables in with the broth to cook. Cooking them separately allows you to soften harder vegetables like broccoli. And you can get the flavor of your broth just right before adding in the rest of the ingredients.

For low carb or gluten free, experiment with other pastas such as rice or edamame.