For the coconut curry sauce:
1 tablespoon oil
2 shallots
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 14-ounce can regular coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken or veggie broth
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
A pinch of powdered stevia
1 tablespoon hot chili paste (optional)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
For the bowls:
4 oz rice noodles
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli, ½ inch thick
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup asparagus, cut into 2 inch long pieces
1 cup shredded purple cabbage for topping
2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving
1/3 of fresh basil, chopped
Sesame, pumpkin or sunflower seeds for topping
Instructions
Sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and ginger; stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the curry paste; stir fry for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or so while you prep the rest of the ingredients – it should thicken slightly. If you’re adding the broth to make the sauce go farther, you might need a little extra simmer time for the sauce to thicken.
Vegetables: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add broccoli, and asparagus, saute for another 3 minutes, partly covered. Add the grated carrots and saute another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, just until vegetables are bright green, but not soft.
Noodles: Cook the noodles as directed on the package, making sure not to overcook.
Assembling: Add the noodles and use tongs to toss around in the pan with the vegetables. Add the sauce and cook another 2 minutes before serving. Garnish with the purple cabbage, seeds, a squeeze of lime and basil leaves.