Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken)

Overview

Khao Soi is a Northern Thai specialty that is both exceptionally flavorful and filling. This dish is found throughout Northern Thailand, but is incredibly difficult to find at any restaurant in the United States. However, for those of you who have had the privilege of having it once in Thailand, you will crave it for the rest of your life.

Khao Soi is a curried noodle soup featuring egg noodles, a boiled or simmered chicken drumstick, a uniquely spiced curry paste, and a coconut milk infused broth. The noodle soup is then topped with fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallot, and Thai roasted chile paste.

The key to making Khao Soi is the curry paste. Imitation recipes often call for a mix of store-bought yellow and red curry pastes, but nothing can replace a true Khao Soi curry pasted. It is a unique blend of spices (black cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric), aromatics (ginger, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, shallot, and cilantro stem or roots),  and chile peppers. All of these ingredients, and a few others, are pounded together in a large granite mortar and pestle to create the unbelievable, yellow-red curry paste.

The following recipe is our best recreation of Khao Soi as enjoyed in Thailand. The recipe draws from a few sources, including a cooking class taken in Thailand (Cooking with Ann), Andy Ricker's Pok Pok cookbook, Erin's personal experience of living in Thailand, and a few other recipes from blogs and food magazines. With the abundance of global ingredients at both conventional and specialty grocery stores, this dish is within reach for the home cook. The only special tool required is a large Thai-style granite mortar and pestle.

Ingredients

Khao Soi Curry Paste

• 6 whole cloves
• 6 allspice berries
• 1/2 Tbsp black cardamom seeds
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1" piece of turmeric, fresh, cut into a few pieces
• 1 1/2" piece of ginger, fresh, cut into a few pieces
• 3" piece of lemongrass (from 1 stalk), cut into small rounds
• 4 rounds of galangal, 1" diameter, no more than 1/8" thick, sliced against the grain
• 12 coriander (cilantro) stems (or roots if you have them)
• 4 oz shallot, sliced against the grain
• 1 oz garlic cloves, halved
• 4 red thai chile peppers, fresh, stems removed
• 4 dried red chile peppers, seeded and de-veined
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp fine sea salt)

Khao Soi Curry

• 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp Khao Soi curry paste
• 14oz can coconut milk (unshaken)
• 2-3 Tbsp coconut cream (from top of unshaken coconut milk can)
• 1 Tbsp palm sugar, grated
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 4 small skin-on chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup water

For the dish

• 1 package egg noodles (Chinese egg noodles work well)
• vegetable oil for frying noodles
• drained and chopped pickled mustard greens (Thai preferably, but Chinese work, too)
• 1/2 cup small shallots, cut into pieces
• a few small lime wedges
• Thai roasted chile paste
• Thai fish sauce
• [optional] coarsely chopped cilantro (thin stems and leaves)

Instructions - Curry Paste

1. Combine cloves, allspice, cardamom, coriander, and cumin to a small pan and dry roast over low heat until spices are fragrant, stirring and tossing often. Remove from heat and let spices cool slightly.
2. Add spices to granite mortar and pestle then pound/grind them to a medium-coarse powder. Scoop spices out and set aside.
3. Combine dried and fresh chiles in mortar and pestle with the salt and pound firmly until chiles are broken down into a paste.
4. In order, add one at a time then pound to incorporate into existing ingredients, the cilantro roots or stems, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and half of the shallots.
5. Add the reserved spice powder and pound to combine, then the remaining half of shallots, pounding to combine.
6. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Instructions - Khao Soi Curry

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) or wok over medium-low heat until it shimmers.
2. Add the curry paste and fry, breaking up the paste and stirring frequently, until the paste is very fragrant and loses the smell of raw garlic and shallot.
3. Add the coconut cream, increase heat to medium, and fry for about a minute, then add the chicken drumsticks, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Stir to coat chicken and fry another minute or two, stirring and turning the chicken a handful of times.
4. Lastly, add the coconut milk and water, stir to incorporate, bring to a simmer, then simmer covered for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Instructions - Serving

1. After the curry and chicken has simmered, reduce heat to warm (or turn off) and cover to keep warm.
2. Heat about 3/4" to 1" of oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Heat the oil to 350F. You can use a thermometer or drop a piece of noodle into the oil, which should turn golden brown in about 20 seconds.
3. When the oil is at temperature, put a small bundle of noodles in. They will expand quite a bit while frying, so start small and see how many will fit in your pot. Let the noodles fry for about 10-15 seconds then flip over once and let fry another 10-15 seconds. Noodles will take about 20-60 seconds per batch. Once golden brown, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add remaining noodles and cook, stirring occasionally until noodles are fully cooked. Drain and divide into serving bowls.
5. To each bowl, add a chicken drumstick, ladle in about 1 cup of the curry, and top with a small bundle of fried noodles.
6. Serve bowls with a plate of pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime wedges, cilantro, if using, fish sauce, and roasted chile paste on the side for everyone to garnish as desired.