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Khao Soi

A comforting Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with a fragrant broth, tender chicken, and crispy noodles that will warm your soul.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Curry Paste
  • 2 pods black cardamom
  • 1.5 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 0.75 oz fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 1.5 inch fresh turmeric, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 cup shallots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 0.75 oz mild dried chilies, such as guajillo or puya
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Curry Broth
  • 1.5 cups coconut milk, plus extra for drizzling
  • 8 pieces chicken drumsticks
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon black soy sauce
  • 2-3 teaspoons fish sauce, optional
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar, finely chopped, packed or brown sugar
Noodles
  • 12 oz flat fresh egg noodles, divided
Garnish & Serve
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots or red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped pickled mustard greens
  • Chopped cilantro and/or green onions for garnish, optional
  • Fried chili flakes, to taste

Method
 

Prepare the Curry Paste
  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the black cardamom pods and coriander seeds until fragrant—about 2-3 minutes—then set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, sear the ginger and turmeric until charred, then remove. Next, sear the shallots until golden.
  3. Grind the toasted spices together, then pound in the ginger, turmeric, and shallots to form a fine paste.
Make the Curry Broth
  1. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup of coconut milk to a boil. Stir in the curry paste until well combined.
  2. Add the remaining coconut milk, water, soy sauce, black soy sauce, palm sugar, and chicken drumsticks. Simmer for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Prepare Crispy Noodles
  1. Loosen and cut the egg noodles if necessary. Heat oil in a pot for frying; deep-fry the noodles until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
Cook Egg Noodles
  1. In a separate pot, boil water and cook the remaining egg noodles until done, then toss them with a drizzle of oil to keep them separate.
Assemble the Dish
  1. In warm bowls, place the cooked noodles, top with chicken drumsticks, and ladle the rich curry broth over.
  2. Drizzle with extra coconut milk, add crispy noodles on top, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and any chosen condiments.

Notes

Using fresh ingredients will elevate your dish, but feel free to explore brand substitutions as needed. Prep your spices the night before for an even more flavorful outcome. Store Khao Soi in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze the broth and noodles separately.