THE SECRET TO THAI DISHES MAY ALREADY BE IN YOUR FRIDGE

The taste of red curry paste can be built on with a few fresh aromatics at home

Thai red curry paste is the condiment that’s started a thousand meals in my kitchen. Simmered with a little coconut milk, it becomes a fragrant, spicy sauce for all manner of meat, fish, vegetables, tofu or noodles. It’s fast, convenient and tasty — better than my local takeout — which is all I ask for on most days of the week.

There are, however, times when I crave something a little more ambitious, a dish that’s deeper, more complex and closer to the curries I can get in a good Thai restaurant. But I want it without having to track down the galangal, lime leaves and dried shrimp necessary to make an authentic Thai red curry paste from scratch.

Doctoring up the stuff in the jar is a good middle ground. The prepared paste has the base flavour that I can build on by adding a few fresh aromatics — ones that I can easily pick up en route from the subway to my front door — garlic, chillies, cilantro, ginger and shallot. These can revive even an old half-used jar (the one that lives behind the miso and the tahini), giving it brightness and verve.

If you’re lucky enough to come across a bumpyskinned and highly aromatic makrut lime, whirl its zest and juice into the paste in place of the regular lime. It will make the curry even livelier.

Once you’ve done your shopping and chopping, the paste comes together quickly in the blender, and you’ll have enough left over to make this dish again. Store the extra paste in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or the freezer for up to three months.

As for the noodles themselves, use any kind of thin noodles you like. Even gluten-free varieties work well as long as you don’t overcook them. I generally lean toward skinny Chinese egg noodles because I like the added richness of the yolk. But springy rice noodles are a close second.

This dish requires a bit more work than your average weeknight dinner, and a lot more work than ordering in. But with its gorgeous combination of crunchy vegetables, slippery noodles and heady sauce, no one will ever guess it all started in a jar.

PREPARATION:

1. Prepare the curry paste: In a blender or mini food processor, combine cilantro, garlic, shallot, chilli, red curry, coconut oil, ginger, lemongrass, zest and juice of 1 lime, fish sauce, curry powder, cumin and coriander. Blend into a paste, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. If mixture is too thick to blend, add teaspoon or two of water as needed.

2. In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, half the scallions, garlic, chilli and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

4. Stir ¼ cup curry paste mixture into skillet and cook until fragrant and darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir coconut milk into skillet along with remaining 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce, and juice of ½ lime.

5. Add red pepper, snow peas and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in bok choy and cook until wilted, 2 to 4 minutes longer.

6. Fold in noodles, tossing until coated with sauce and heated through. Add fish sauce or lime juice to taste, and pass lime wedges at the table. Top with remaining scallions and any of the optional garnishes. Serve with lime wedges on the side. Store the extra curry paste in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.