Fettuccine Thai-fredo

Fettuccine Thai-fredo is a Thai-inspired take on classic Alfredo sauce.  Classic Thai ingredients combine in this fusion dish, which, like its Italian namesake, is very rich. The addition of Makrut lime leaves and fish sauce cut the strong flavor of the coconut milk just enough and reducing the sauce really brings all the flavors together.  The bright green flecks of lime leaves and small rings of red Thai chilis in the velvety cream sauce serve to make Fettuccine Thai-fredo as attractive as it is delicious. A starter of Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad or Wilted Arugula Salad work very well with Fettuccine Thai-fredo as your main course, all accompanied by a very cold, very dry white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc or Vinho Verde.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes. Serves 2.

Support Cook and Eat at Home. Purchase a PDF of the Fettuccine Thai-fredo recipe for $1.00

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ Tbs minced Shallot
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 tsp minced Makrut Lime* Leaves
• 2 red Thai Bird’s Eye Chilis
• 1 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tbs Unsalted Butter
• 7 oz. Coconut Milk*
• 2 Tbs fresh Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Fish Sauce*
• 3 oz. Fettuccine Pasta or 7 oz. Shirataki Fettuccine Noodles per person*
• 3 Tbs grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Mince the shallot, garlic, and lime leaves, slice the chilis into very thin rounds, combine all in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the olive oil and butter in a wide, deep frying pan over a medium heat, swirling together as the butter melts.
4. Add the shallot, garlic, lime leaves and chilis to the pan and sauté, uncovered, over a medium heat until the shallot begins to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
6. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and fish sauce to the pan, stir thoroughly and simmer, uncovered, over a low heat until the sauce thickens; reduce in volume by about half, about 12 minutes.
7. Remove the sauce from heat.
8. Using tongs, add the cooked fettucine to the sauce and stir to mix. Add the grated cheese to the pasta and sauce and stir together thoroughly but gently.
9. Serve Fettuccine Thai-fredo in individual pasta bowls immediately; lightly dust with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table.

*Notes:

• Makrut Lime Leaves are available fresh or fresh/frozen in bags in Asian specialty markets; never buy dried makrut lime leaves.  If unavailable, you can substitute the zest of 1 lime.
• Coconut Milk is available in cans in supermarkets, Asian supermarkets and specialty stores and on-line. Use Coconut Milk with a 20% or higher fat content. It is not recommended that you use “Lite” Coconut Milk for this recipe.
• Fish Sauce is the clear, brown liquid given off by salted, fermented anchovies; it’s likely very similar to “garum” which accompanied all meals in ancient Rome. A little of it goes a long way and it makes a very convenient substitute for mashed anchovy fillets in recipes. Fish Sauce is ubiquitous in Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.  We recommend 3 Crabs brand; the flavor is perfectly authentic, not overly salty and it does not contain caramel or any other coloring agent.
• Shirataki Noodles are soft and sold in bags of liquid, as such they don’t increase in size when cooking, so 7 ounces of Shirataki Fettuccine will more or less equal the volume of 3 ounces of cooked fettuccine pasta. Shirataki Noodles may be purchased at many supermarkets, at Asian supermarkets and specialty stores, and from on-line retailers.