Khao Soi is an absolute family favorite. For years while living in Salem, Oregon, we frequented a restaurant called Thai Orchid. Our entire family LOVED it. It’s a place of great family memories.
We all had our favorite dishes, and Khao Soi may well be the family’s top dish.
So when Amena visited this month (from Dubai) and offered to make us Khao Soi I about died. She took cooking lessons in Burma so this is actually the Burmese version which is called Khao Suey. They are very similar so I have continued calling it Khao Soi as we know it.
This recipe must start with an adventure to your local H-Mart, a magical place filled with amazing foods.
Take everything home and start cooking!
Make soup broth by placing the chicken and veggies into a pot and covering with water. Simmer uncovered.
Strain the broth and remove the chicken to cool.
In a large skillet heat and toast chickpea flour.
It’s important to whisk the toasted flour into COLD chicken broth. Adding it to a hot liquid will cause it to clump.
Add into broth along with coconut milk and additional lemon grass, kafir leaves and fish sauce as desired. Salt to taste.
Add as much hot pepper as you wish.
Stir in the noodles and cut up chicken. *You can serve the chicken separately as an addition.
DON’T COVER.
TIME TO MAKE THE TOPPINGS.
Fry up some lo mein noodles until crunchy.
Place all of the toppings into bowls.
Serve the soup in bowls and add on the toppings.
Khao Soi or Khao Suey
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 stalks lemon grass
- ½ cup kafir leaves
- 2 Tbsp ginger, diced
- 1-2 tsp fish sauce
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups chickpea flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 small hot pepper, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ pound lo mein noodles, cooked according to package
Toppings
- ½ cup garlic, diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- ½ pound lo mein noodles
- 2 large eggs, boiled and peeled
- ½ cup fresh lime juice **or lime wedges
- ¾ cup mint leaves
- ¼ cup fresh ginger, diced
- ½ cup green onion, sliced
- ¾ cup cilantro, chopped
- Crispy onions **You can find these at an Indian store or online.
- 1 cup dry, roasted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
- In large pot add chicken thighs, onion, lemon grass, kafir leaves, ginger and fish sauce. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain the broth and return to pot. Pour 2 cups of chicken broth through the strainer holding the chicken and veggies. Place the chicken in a bowl to cool.
- Add the chickpea flour to a hot skillet. Stir and cook at medium-high heat until the flour toasts and lets off a nice aroma. Turn down heat as needed to avoid burning. Remove from heat.
- Remove flour to a bowl. Pour cold chicken broth into a separate bowl and slowly whisk in the toasted flour. **If you stir into a hot liquid the flour will clump.
- Whisk the chickpea mixture into the pot of hot broth. Stir in coconut milk.
- Salt to taste. Add additional lemon grass, kafir leaves and fish sauce as desired. Bring soup back to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. DO NOT COVER.
- Break apart the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken and prepared noodles to soup. **It's important that you do NOT cover the pot. It will change the texture of the soup,
- Prepare all the toppings:Prepare garlic by frying in hot oil over medium head until brown and crispy. Stir in chili flakes and continue cooking and stirring for a couple of minutes. Place into a bowl.
- For the crispy noodles, heat 1 cup of veggie oil in a skillet. Test the heat by dropping a small piece of lo mein noodle in the oil. If it bubbles the oil is ready. Drop the noodles into the oil and use tongs to turn them as they cook. They cook quite quickly. When crispy remove to drain on paper towels.
- Chop the eggs, and place in small bowls along with all other toppings.
- Serve the soup in bowls and add toppings.