I’ve always been a fan of Thai food, one of my favorites is the spicy Thai prawn noodle soup. I once made this soup in my kitchen —a symphony of heat, seafood goodness, and noodles. Recently, I’ve been itching to expand my Thai noodle soup repertoire, and that’s where Khao Soi comes into play. This soup is one of the best Asian noodle soups you need to taste.
What is Khao Soi?
Khao soi is a tantalizing Thai coconut curry noodle soup that is believed to have originated in Northern Thailand. This Thai food also bears many similarities to the classic dish in neighboring Myanmar, called “ohn no khao swè”, whose ingredients include noodles, chicken, and coconut curry.
Having triumphed over 99 other dishes, it proudly claimed the title of the world’s best noodles on TasteAtlas, a renowned culinary site for tourists. With an impressive score of 4.9/5, it outshone contenders like Scottish cullen skink – a smoked cod soup and the beloved Japanese ramen noodles.
In Thailand, Khao Soi curry is a local signature of Chiang Mai. This chicken curry noodle soup includes flat egg noodles and braised beef or chicken, served with coconut milk, topped with crispy noodles, fresh green onions, cilantro, pickled cabbage, and a slice of lime.
Authentic Khao Soi recipe
The heart and soul of the famous dish lie in its broth, a luscious concoction of coconut milk, and a carefully crafted blend of spices. The star of the show is the noodles, usually wide egg noodles, that swim gracefully in the coconut broth, soaking up all the aromatic goodness. You can buy this type of noodles and the other ingredients in Asian markets or on the Amazon.
It’s a little spicy and has the gentle flavor of curry and rich coconut milk. The Khao Soi noodle soup took me more time to cook, however, the result is totally deserved. Here is how to make Khao Soi soup (Thai coconut noodle soup):
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken or beef or pork
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 14 oz coconut milk
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp yellow curry powder
- 8 oz egg noodles
- Lime wedges, cilantro, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, and crispy fried noodles for toppings
Instructions
For crispy fried noodles
- Boil the thin egg noodles for a few minutes until they are just cooked. Be careful not to overcook. And then drain them and rinse under cold water
- Spread the noodles on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- In a deep pan or wok, heat enough vegetable oil for frying. The oil should be hot but not smoking. Carefully add a small batch of the dried noodles to the hot oil. Fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. This usually takes just a minute or two, so keep a close eye on them.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy noodles from the oil. Place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat the frying process with the remaining noodles.
- Allow the crispy fried noodles to cool completely before using them as a topping for your Khao Soi. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container.
For the Thai curry noodle soup
- Season chicken or beef with salt and pepper
- In a large pot, add coconut milk and heat it over medium heat. Add the red curry paste, and stir-fry for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken/beef to the pot. Add the sliced onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook until the onions are softened.
- Add chicken or vegetable broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and yellow curry powder. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Place a portion of cooked noodles in each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles.
- Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, and crispy fried noodles.
Notes
– To make a healthy vegan Thai Khao Soi recipe, you can use tofu instead of meats and add different veggies.
– You can buy crispy fried noodles on Amazon or in supermarkets. You can also skip this ingredient if you cannot find it, this won’t affect the taste of Khao Soi.
Easy Khao Soi Recipe – Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken or beef or pork
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 14 oz coconut milk
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp yellow curry powder
- 8 oz egg noodles
- Lime wedges, cilantro, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, and crispy fried noodles for toppings
Instructions
For crispy fried noodles
- Boil the thin egg noodles for a few minutes until they are just cooked. Be careful not to overcook. And then drain them and rinse under cold water
- Spread the noodles on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- In a deep pan or wok, heat enough vegetable oil for frying. The oil should be hot but not smoking. Carefully add a small batch of the dried noodles to the hot oil. Fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. This usually takes just a minute or two, so keep a close eye on them.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy noodles from the oil. Place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat the frying process with the remaining noodles.
- Allow the crispy fried noodles to cool completely before using them as a topping for your Khao Soi. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container.
For the Thai curry noodle soup
- Season chicken or beef with salt and pepper
- In a large pot, add coconut milk and heat it over medium heat. Add the red curry paste, and stir-fry for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken/beef to the pot. Add the sliced onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook until the onions are softened.
- Add chicken or vegetable broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and yellow curry powder. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Place a portion of cooked noodles in each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles.
- Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, sliced green onions, bean sprouts, and crispy fried noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
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Baked Tonkatsu Recipe (Japanese Deep-fried Pork Cutlets)