An extremely popular northern Thai dish, it’s typically garnished with shallots and pickled mustard greens which add layers of crunch and flavour.
1. Trim excess fat from the meat to your taste. Starting at the thicker end of each piece of meat, make a cut in between the meat and the fibrous silverskin, lifting the fat and silverskin away from the meat while you trim along the strip of meat. (Tip: Grip the silverskin with a paper towel to prevent slipping.). Discard the trim. Cut the meat crosswise into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces.
2. Place meat in an electric pressure cooker. Add 2 cups (500 mL) water, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, shallots and garlic. Seal the pressure cooker lid and make sure the vent is closed. Set the pressure to HIGH and time for 20 minutes.
3. When the timer beeps, quick release the pressure. Drain through a large sieve or colander into a bowl; reserve the liquid. Return the beef to the liquid and discard remaining solids.
4. Clean and dry pressure cooker insert and return to cooker. Set cooker to Medium/Normal Sauté/Sear and add 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add curry paste; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in curry powder until blended, then stir in coconut milk, sugar, tamarind, reserved liquid and beef. Simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until flavours are blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sugar, tamarind and fish sauce, as desired (depending on the curry paste, you may not need the fish sauce).
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable in a skillet to 350ºF. Remove 1/6 of the noodles from the package and loosen them up. Shape into 4 nests and slide into the oil. Cook, for about 1 minute, turning once, until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain (don’t worry if they’ve lost their nest shape). Set aside.
6. Just before serving, cook remaining noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Drain quickly and divide among 4 serving bowls. Ladle the meat and sauce over the noodles, top with a fried noodle nest and serve immediately with the desired garnishes.
To cook on a stove-top, proceed with Step 2 using a Dutch oven or enamelled cast-iron roaster; increase the water to 4 cups (1 L), and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours, until meat is tender and liquid is reduced by half. If there is too much liquid, boil, uncovered, over high heat until reduced or add water if sauce is too thick. Continue with the recipe directed.
Servings 0