Thai-Style Noodle Soup with Pan-Fried Tofu, Coconut and Chile

I came up with this one, which is inspired by our having eaten prawn laksa in Sydney a few weeks ago. I guess I was after a replication of the broth, more than anything. As you can see... not a prawn in sight.

This was among my better soup creations. It had a nice heat to it, and the tofu had soaked up all of the flavors of the broth. Nice herby, fresh taste of the basil coming through, too. Overall, I am really happy with how this came out.

TOFU
1 drizzle peanut oil
1 block tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
PORK
1 drizzle peanut oil
500 g pork tenderloin
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

BROTH
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½" piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, top part removed, middle and lower part finely chopped
1 pinch salt
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1.5 liters chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce

DISH
4 packages udon noodles (enough to feed 4 people)
3 tablespoons chile oil, with sediment
3 scallion, finely sliced
12 leaves basil, finely sliced crosswise
salt, to taste

First, sear off the tofu in a small, non-stick skillet with a touch of peanut oil. Just sear them off until golden brown. Flip them over and brown the other side. Remove and set aside.

Season the pork with salt and pepper, then sear off in a non-stick skillet until golden brown all over. Set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes.

Now, make the broth. In a large soup pot, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and salt and let cook down for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the curry paste and stir to combine. Let this cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. When it starts to boil reduce the heat to a simmer and add the coconut milk. Stir and let the milk heat through. When it just starts to bubble, reduce the heat the medium-low, and leave to gently bubble away.

Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces and add them (and any resting juices) to the soup. The add the tofu and the udon noodles and cook until the pork and noodles are done, about 3-5 minutes. Add the chile oil, scallions, basil and salt to taste. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.