🇹🇭 Thailand · Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai); a related Burmese dish, ohn no khao swe, is a different dish

Khao soiThai coconut curry noodle soup

Name: Khao soi (Thai coconut curry noodle soup)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) coconut milk, full fat, divided: 250 ml for frying the paste, the rest for the soup; 4 tbsp red curry paste, or a homemade paste of dried chilies, shallot, garlic, ginger, coriander root and spices; 1 1/2 tbsp yellow curry powder, turmeric-forward, with cumin and coriander; 800 g (1.75 lb) chicken drumsticks or thighs, bone-in, skin on; 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock or water; 3 tbsp fish sauce, to taste; 2 tbsp palm sugar, or brown sugar; 1 tbsp light soy sauce, optional; 800 g (1.75 lb) fresh thin egg noodles, about 1/5 set aside for frying; 250 ml (1 cup) neutral oil, for frying the crisp noodles; 100 g (3.5 oz) pickled mustard greens (phak kad dong), chopped; 4 shallots, chopped or in wedges, raw; 2 limes, in wedges; chili oil and coriander, for the table

A northern Thai coconut-curry noodle soup of chicken or beef with soft egg noodles in the bowl and crisp fried noodles on top, served with pickled mustard greens, shallot and lime.

Origin and history

Thai sources tie khao soi to the Chin Haw, Yunnanese traders and migrants who came to the north of Thailand, and Chiang Mai is its home; one account says Chinese Muslims settled in Chiang Mai in the late 19th or early 20th century and added coconut milk and spices to a local clear soup. The name is explained as 'cut rice', from noodle dough sliced into strips. Writers also link it to the Burmese khao swe. None names a single inventor.

Make it at home

Makes: 4 servings
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Hands-on: 45 min

Ingredients

Metric US

800 ml3 1/3 cups coconut milk, full fat, divided: 250 ml for frying the paste, the rest for the soup
4 tbsp red curry paste, or a homemade paste of dried chilies, shallot, garlic, ginger, coriander root and spices
1 1/2 tbsp yellow curry powder, turmeric-forward, with cumin and coriander
800 g1.75 lb chicken drumsticks or thighs, bone-in, skin on
250 ml1 cup chicken stock or water
3 tbsp fish sauce, to taste
2 tbsp palm sugar, or brown sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce, optional
800 g1.75 lb fresh thin egg noodles, about 1/5 set aside for frying
250 ml1 cup neutral oil, for frying the crisp noodles
100 g3.5 oz pickled mustard greens (phak kad dong), chopped
4 shallots, chopped or in wedges, raw
2 limes, in wedges
chili oil and coriander, for the table

Method

1. Fry about one fifth of the noodles in the hot oil in two batches, 30 to 45 seconds each, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper and set aside.
2. Simmer 250 ml of the coconut milk in a wide pot over medium heat until it thickens and the oil begins to separate, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the curry paste and curry powder and fry 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and the oil turns red.
4. Add the chicken and turn it in the paste to coat it. Pour in the remaining coconut milk and the stock.
5. Season with the fish sauce, sugar and soy sauce. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
6. Meanwhile, boil the remaining noodles for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
7. Put noodles in each deep bowl, ladle over the curry and a piece of chicken, and top with crisp noodles.
8. Serve with pickled mustard greens, raw shallot, lime wedges, chili oil and coriander on the side.

Notes

The distinguishing marks are two noodle textures (boiled in the bowl, fried on top) and the sour, sharp garnishes of pickled mustard greens, shallot and lime. Add them to your own taste.
In Chiang Mai the soup is made with chicken (khao soi gai) or beef (khao soi nuea); beef needs a longer simmer until tender.
Chiang Mai cooks often use a more elastic fresh egg noodle sold as khao soi noodles; thin fresh egg noodles (the kind used for wonton) work well elsewhere. Chicken and beef are the traditional choices and pork is rarely used.
Fish sauce is used, which one chef says separates khao soi from a curry laksa. The Burmese dish khao swe is very similar, and some versions of it contain congealed pig blood, which authentic khao soi omits.
Tradition ties it to the Chin Haw (Yunnanese) who migrated into northern Thailand; some pastes include dried spices such as cardamom, turmeric and cumin. Thai writers describe Islamic-influenced shops with a more intense curry and Khon Mueang shops with a milder, less oily one.
Make-ahead: the curry keeps three days and tastes better; fry the noodles on the day.

Adapted from Hungry in Thailand, Authentic chicken khao soi, SBS Food, How to make Chiang Mai's authentic khao soi, and Taan Thai Food, History of khao soi noodles.