Khao Soi: Thai Curry Noodle Soup

Homemade Khao Soi Paste

Unfortunately there is no such thing as a store-bought curry paste for khao soi (at least not yet). But fortunately, the ingredient list for the curry paste isn't that long. If you're short on time, try option 2 below.

• Dried chilies. Khao soi is not typically very spicy, so I stick with milder dried chilies such as guajillo or puya. If using spicier chilies, remove the seeds and pith to reduce the heat. If pounding everything by hand, you need to cut the cut the chilies into 1-inch chunks and soak them for an hour to rehydrate, or you can keep them dry and grind in a coffee/spice grinder. 
• Coarse salt, if pounding curry paste by hand. If using a coffee grinder any kind of salt will do.
• Ginger, sliced into rounds
• Fresh turmeric, sliced into rounds, or sub ground turmeric
• Shallots, chopped
• Coriander seeds
• Black cardamom, this is the spice that will make this curry truly unique. It is not used in all variations of khao soi, but I think it does make it stand out from other kinds of Thai curries. Black cardamom (tsaoko) has an aroma that reminds me of leather and tobacco, and nothing else tastes quite like it. You can find it at Chinese or Indian stores. If you can't find it, substitute green cardamom, which isn't similar, but it'll still taste good.

Tip: "Semi-Homemade" Khao Soi Paste.
If you don't have time for a homemade curry paste, I get it. Here's a "cheat" I shared in my book Sabai. Simply add some turmeric and curry powder to store bought red curry paste, and then add a few crushed black cardamom pods to the broth while it's cooking. It's not the same, but it tastes good! See my recommended curry paste brands in this curry paste review.

Noodle Soup Ingredients

• Khao soi curry paste, note that the recipe provided makes enough for 2 batches.
• Coconut milk, read about how to choose good coconut milk here.
• Chicken drumettes or drumsticks. I like drumettes because they take less time to cook and will yield a richer broth, but in Thailand drumsticks are more common.
• Soy sauce. It might surprise you to not see fish sauce on this list, and while you certainly can add fish sauce instead, since this dish has its roots in Chinese Muslim cuisine, soy sauce is commonly used.
• Sugar, granulated is fine, but you can also use palm sugar if you've got some.
• Flat fresh egg noodles, also known as wonton noodles and can be bought fresh in the refrigerated section at the Asian store.
• Thin fresh egg noodles for deep frying, optional, you can also just deep fry the flat egg noodles, but I do think the thin ones are prettier.
• Chopped cilantro and/or green onions for garnish, optional

• Lime wedges
• Chopped shallots, or red onion
• Sour pickled mustard greens, chopped. You can buy these in clear plastic bags at many Asian grocery stores. If you don't have access to this, you can substitute another sour pickle such as sauerkraut.
• Fried chili flakes. This is optional for those who want to add some heat to their bowl, and it's made simply by sauteing some chili flakes in oil. Dry roasted chili flakes are also fine in my books if you want to simplify.

For the Curry Paste

1. Remove the seeds from the black cardamom pods and place the seeds into a medium dry skillet. Add the coriander seeds and toast over high heat, moving them constantly, until the coriander seeds darken slightly. Set aside.
2. In the same skillet over high heat, place the ginger, shallots and turmeric slices down and let them sear until they're slightly charred. Then flip and char the other side and remove from the pan. You can further chop the ginger pieces to make them a little easier to grind in the mortar and pestle.
3. If using a coffee grinder for the dry ingredients, grind the toasted black cardamom and coriander seeds into a powder, remove and set aside. Grind the dried chilies into a powder. Then, in a mortar and pestle, pound the ginger, shallots, and turmeric into a fine paste, then add the dry spices and pound to a fine paste.
4. If using a mortar and pestle for the dry ingredients, grind the black cardamom and coriander into a powder, remove them, then add the rehydrated chilies and the coarse salt and grind until the chilies are fine. Add the ginger, shallots, and turmeric and pound into a fine paste. Add the dry spices and pound to mix.

For the broth

1. In a pot, add a little bit of vegetable oil and saute the curry paste over medium high heat for about 30 seconds.
2. Add ½ cup of the coconut milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the coconut milk dries up and the paste becomes thick. For certain types of coconut milk, the coconut oil should also start to separate from the paste at this point. If this doesn't happen after the paste has become very thick, that's okay.
3. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the curry paste. Add the remaining coconut milk, water, and most of the seasonings, reserving some for final adjustment. If using the semi-homemade curry paste, crush the black cardamom pods just until they are open and add them into the broth to infuse.
4. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and let the chicken braise for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is fork tender. If using drumsticks, it will take about 40 mins.
5. Once the chicken is done, taste and adjust seasoning, adding more water or coconut milk if necessary (you can choose to add more coconut milk if you prefer a richer broth).

FOR THE CRISPY FRIED NOODLES

Remember to fry a small amount of noodles at a time as they will expand A LOT.

1. Cut the noodles a few times so they are about 4 inches long.
2. Heat about 1" of frying oil in a wide pot or wok to 350F. 
3. Add a small handful of noodles into the oil and press the noodles down slightly as they fry. Once the bubbling start to slow down, flip the noodles over and fry until the bubbling stops. (No bubbling means noodles are crispy.) Remove the noodles and let drain on paper towel. This takes just a few seconds per batch.

For the fried CHILI FLAKES

1. Add chili flakes and oil to a small pot or skillet. There should be enough oil that the chili flakes look like wet sand, but not swimming in oil. 
2. Turn the heat on medium low and keep stirring until the chilies start to darken and smell smoky. Transfer into a small bowl immediately to stop the cooking.

ASSEMBLY

1. Blanch the egg noodles in boiling water for about 1 minute or until the noodles are cooked through. (I recommend cooking one portion of noodles at a time as it is a royal pain to separate a large clump of cooked noodles into portions.)
2. Drain well and transfer into a serving bowl.
3. Pour the soup over the noodles. Place some chicken on top and top with the crunchy noodles. Serve with a lime wedge, shallots, pickled mustard greens, and fried chilies. You can also sprinkle some chopped cilantro and/or green onions for extra garnish.

You can make the broth in advance and it'll keep in the fridge for a week. The crispy noodles can also be stored in an airtight container for a week or longer. All the condiments can be prepped in advance. The fresh noodles for the soup should be cooked the day-of for best texture.

Yes. I encourage you to use dark meat, cut into chunky pieces, then let them braise in the broth. I would then use chicken stock (unsalted) instead of water to make up for the lack of bones. I don't recommend using chicken breast for this. 

No. Traditional khao soi doesn't come with vegetables, so don't go around adding bean sprouts or bok choy to this. (Kidding, do whatever you want!)