Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato

taken from Bon Appetite's 2008 Tastes of the World
(I made this soup before the idea of this blog was formed-- so there are no step by step pictures. I wanted to include it because the soup was SO tasty and I loved the colorful presentation!)


Ingredients:
2 T. vegetable oil
3 T. shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T lemongrass, minced (we didn't use, turned out fine)
2 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 T Thai yellow curry paste
2 T curry powder
1 tsp hot chili paste
2 13.5-14 ounce cans coconut milk, unsweetened (comes in low/non fat, too)
5 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 T fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
3 cups snow peas, trimmed
2 cups red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and 1/2" cubes
1 pound dried rice vermicelli noodles/rice stick noodles (Thai Kitchen puts out cheap noodles)
3/4 pound boneless chicken thighs (thighs are pretty gross, we used chicken breast)
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 red Thai bird chilies (or 2 jalapeno chilies)
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Instructions:
Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan or stock pot, add shallots, garlic, lemongrass (if you've got it), and ginger. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in curry paste, curry powder, and chili paste. Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk (the thick liquid from the top of the can) and stir until thick and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Keep warm.

Cook snow peas in boiling salt water until bright green (just about 20 seconds). Remove peas with a strainer and rinse under cold water to cool and prevent from over-cooking.

Using same boiling water pot, add sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove potatoes with a strainer and rinse under cold water.

Using same boiling water pot, boil and cook noodles until tender but till firm to bite, about 6 minutes.  Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. (If cooking instructions on back of noodle's package are different, follow the package instructions!)

Return to your warm broth, bringing it to a simmer. Add chicken pieces and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes.

Add sweet potato to broth and stir to heat, about 1 minute.

Divide cooked noodles into individual serving bowls.  Divide snow peas and hot soup among bowls, placing on top of the noodles. Scatter the red onions, green onions, cilantro, and chilies over soup. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.