Thai "Kanom Jean" Spicy Red Curry

Yeah baby. This was exactly what I was in the mood for tonight. A fiery red curry with soft tender vegetables and tofu, flavored with coconut milk, lime leaves and lemongrass atop a mound of "Kanom Jean", aka somen noodles. If I hadn't run out of somen noodles, I would have eaten much more! I ate two bowls for the record. It had broccoli, tofu, mushroom, red bell pepper and frozen butternut squash that had cooked down into a pulpy meltingly tender mush. It gave the curry a great texture.

Basic curry for "Kanom Jean" (Lemongrass and lime leaves can be found at Thai grocers or online.)

Somen noodles aka "Kanom Jean"
2 TB canola oil
2 TB Thai red curry paste
2 15oz. cans of coconut milk
2-3 cups water (use less for creamier curry, more for less creamy)
6-7 kaffir lime leaves
3-1" pieces of lemongrass
Assorted chopped vegetables: broccoli florets, mushrooms, red peppers, butternut squash cubes, carrots etc.
mushroom soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. rhizome powder
7 oz. firm tofu cut into 1" cubes

Cook somen noodles according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pot and add curry paste. Cook for a few minutes then add coconut milk, water and vegetables. Bring to a boil and add lemongrass, lime leaves, mushroom soy sauce to taste, sugar and rhizome powder. Lower heat and cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add tofu and simmer until vegetables are done. Serve over cooked somen noodles. Note: Do not eat lemongrass and lime leaves. You can pick them out if you want but I just eat around them. :)

A note about Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves: These items can be kept in the freezer. I have a small bag of lime leaves and lemongrass cut into 1" pieces that I keep in the freezer and only use what I need. They go straight into the cooking pot frozen!