Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup)

Ingredients

• 600g boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 5cm pieces
• 400g fresh or dried egg noodles (ba mee)
• 2 x 400ml cans full-fat coconut milk
• 250ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 dried long red chilies, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained
• 4 Asian shallots, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• vegetable oil for deep-frying (approximately 500ml)
• 100g fresh egg noodles (for frying, to make crispy topping)
• 4 tbsp pickled mustard greens (dong chai), rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1 medium red shallot, thinly sliced into rings
• 4 tbsp crispy fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)
• 4 lime wedges
• 4 tsp roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
• small bunch fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the curry paste: Drain the soaked dried chilies and roughly chop them. Place the chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, coriander, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, and shrimp paste into a food processor or blender. Add 3 tablespoons of water and blend until a smooth, uniform paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
2. Fry the crispy noodle topping: Pour about 5cm of vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat to 180°C (350°F). Separate the 100g of fresh egg noodles into small loose bundles. Fry them in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and season lightly with salt. Set aside.
3. Build the curry base: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the entire curry paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
4. Add coconut milk and bloom the flavors: Pour in one full can of coconut milk (400ml) into the pot and stir vigorously to combine with the paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the mixture bubbles and the oil begins to separate and float to the surface.
5. Braise the chicken: Add the chicken thigh pieces to the pot, stirring to coat them thoroughly in the curry base. Cook for 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is sealed and lightly colored.
6. Simmer the soup: Pour in the remaining can of coconut milk and the 250ml of chicken stock. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, stir to dissolve, and taste to adjust seasoning — the broth should be savory, mildly sweet, and richly spiced. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
7. Cook the noodles: While the soup simmers, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the 400g of fresh or rehydrated egg noodles according to package instructions, usually 3 to 4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and divide the noodles evenly among four deep serving bowls.
8. Assemble the bowls: Ladle the hot curry soup over the noodles in each bowl, ensuring each serving gets 2 to 3 pieces of chicken and an ample amount of broth.
9. Add the garnishes: Top each bowl with a generous handful of crispy fried noodles, a spoonful of pickled mustard greens, sliced red shallot rings, crispy fried shallots, a sprig of fresh cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of roasted chili paste placed on the side.