Life, continued...

So...it's been a very long time since the last post. A lot has happened since then, which some of you know about and some of you don't. Since I find myself suddenly jobless, you'd think I'd have gotten around to posting more. Obviously not. I've also run into the slight problem of having recently discovered that I can't have gluten in my diet, which has thrown a wrench into most of my go-to recipes. I'll still post recipes that contain gluten from time to time, but there will likely be more gluten-free ones than not. As I'm in the process of planning a move, I'm also working my way through my pantry goods, so those are likely to be making more frequent appearances on here as well, starting with the recipe I'm going to post today. I made it for lunch on Tuesday, a day when I was sorely in need of a hug. The abbreviated version involves a fall and accompanying strained ankle and bruised knee, five needle sticks for two blood tests (and another good sized bruise on my right arm from that), a freezing cold house and a general sense that it was only going to get worse, so I may as well make some noodles and hide for the rest of the day. Fortunately, one good thing besides the noodles did happen--my first sale from my etsy store. This also explains why there is suddenly an ad from Etsy on the side of the page here. It links to my store so feel free to poke through if you're so inclined. Other than job hunting, online training, cleaning and figuring out that I'm never going to bother with GF bread again, that's how I'm spending my time these days.


Coconut Noodles

This is one of the easiest recipes I think I've ever made, hands down. It takes as long to make as your noodles take to cook, involves all pantry goods to get started and could be fixed to satisfy a variety of cravings. Original inspiration for this came from here but I've altered proportions quite a bit and eliminated things I either did not have or just forgot to add.

Ingredients:
-One 16 oz or two 8 oz packages of rice noodles (not flake noodles or thin strands)--see Notes
-1 can coconut milk (13 oz or so)
-4 Tbsp tomato paste
-1 tsp chili powder
-3/4 tsp salt
-1 pound cubed chicken breast or one block of tofu, cubed
-3 or so green onions sliced thin (on the bias looks prettier)

Optional:
-chopped cilantro or basil
-lime juice
-flaked coconut, plain or toasted
-chili sauce or chili paste
-thin sliced red pepper strips
-ground peanuts
-finely shredded kaffir lime leaves (available in freezer sections of international markets and online)
-diced banana (don't knock it til you've tried it once)

Directions:
-Cook your rice noodles according to package directions and make the sauce while they are cooking. When they've reached the desired consistency, drain the noodles and rinse with cold water, picking up handfuls and making sure all noodles are separated.
-In a good sized saucepan combine coconut milk, tomato paste, chili powder, salt and chili sauce, if using (start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more later if needed). Bring to a boil over medium heat.
-When sauce is boiling, add chicken or tofu and toss to coat and reduce heat for 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice, if using. Taste sauce and adjust for seasoning.
-To assemble, toss noodles with sauce to coat. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro/basil, coconut and/or pepper strips, if using.
-8 oz rice noodles will yield 3 or 4 servings, in theory. In practice, you'll probably want twice that.


Notes:
-Rice noodles--Make whatever amount you need for immediate use. The sauce will keep well in the fridge for a few days, but the rice noodles do not like being re-heated, or more specifically, really do not like being refrigerated, as it changes their texture for the worse. Reheating will soften them back up, but they will be brittle and will break up. This doesn't affect taste much, but the whole dish is much better if it's avoided. I found that the one can of coconut milk makes enough sauce for a full 16 ounce package of noodles, albeit not to coat very thickly. If you like a lot of sauce on your noodles, plan to use it with 8-12 ounces instead.
-Variations are endless. Sub some curry paste for the chili powder (red or penang is particularly good), but if you do, start with 1/2 teaspoon and work your way up, as they are far spicier than straight chili powder. If you do use penang, melt a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter into the sauce as well and definitely use the lime leaves if you have any.
-Add ins and equally endless. You could use some peeled and deveined shrimp if you use green curry paste instead of chicken and chili powder. You can fry the tofu for more texture, or use more vegetables. Just about anything that would work in a thai curry sauce will fit the bill here, so add whatever you want to. With this recipe, whatever tastes good should go in. Here are some variations I plan on trying:
penang paste/chicken/red pepper/snow peas
yellow paste/tofu/banana/raisins/peanuts/lime leaves
green paste/shrimp/peppers
peanut butter/lime juice/tamarind paste/chicken/peanuts/cucumber/pepper strips/snow peas/bean sprouts
-Do not in anyway think that this is health food. Mental health food maybe, but that's about it. It is moderately redeemed by the rice noodles not being fried, but that's countered by the coconut milk. It's certainly not going to kill you, but it's probably not the best idea to eat it daily.
-If you do bulk up the veggies, particularly if you're adding a huge amount of bean sprouts, budget the sauce back to the 8oz of noodles to be safe, and assemble your whole bowl at once.
-This is best served alone or with someone you don't mind being a bit messy around. An ideal accompaniment is a rainy or cold afternoon or evening and a showing of When Harry Met Sally or something equivalent.