Northern Thai Khao Soi
An iconic Northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup featuring tender braised chicken, rich and aromatic curry broth, soft egg noodles, and a crown of crispy fried noodles, served with sharp and tangy garnishes.
Equipment
- mortar and pestle or food processor
- large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- medium saucepan (for frying)
- spider skimmer
- tongs
Ingredients
Khao Soi Paste
- 6 whole Dried mild chilies (like Guajillo or Puya) — Stemmed, seeded, and soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 3 tablespoons Shallots — Roughly chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic — Peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh ginger or galangal — Peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh turmeric — Minced (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds — Toasted and ground
- 1 whole Black cardamom pods — Seeds only, toasted and ground
- 1 tablespoon Curry powder — Mild Madras style
Broth & Chicken
- 2 cans (13.5 oz each) Coconut milk — Full fat, do not shake before opening
- 1.5 pounds Chicken drumsticks or bone-in skinless thighs — About 4-6 pieces
- 2 cups Chicken broth — Low sodium
- 2 tablespoons Palm sugar — Finely chopped (can substitute brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoons Fish sauce — To taste
- 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
Noodles & Garnishes
- 1 pound Fresh flat egg noodles (Bamee) — Divided into 1/4 for frying and 3/4 for boiling
- 2 cups Vegetable oil — For frying the crispy noodles
- 0.5 cup Pickled mustard greens — Rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped
- 2 whole Shallots — Thinly sliced
- 2 whole Limes — Cut into wedges
- 0.25 cup Fresh cilantro — Roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Chili oil or roasted chili paste (optional) — For serving
Khao Soi Paste
| 6 whole | Dried mild chilies (like Guajillo or Puya) | Stemmed, seeded, and soaked in hot water for 15 minutes |
| 3 tablespoons | Shallots | Roughly chopped |
| 4 cloves | Garlic | Peeled and chopped |
| 2 tablespoons | Fresh ginger or galangal | Peeled and minced |
| 1 tablespoon | Fresh turmeric | Minced (or 1 tsp ground turmeric) |
| 1 tablespoon | Coriander seeds | Toasted and ground |
| 1 whole | Black cardamom pods | Seeds only, toasted and ground |
| 1 tablespoon | Curry powder | Mild Madras style |
Broth & Chicken
| 2 cans (13.5 oz each) | Coconut milk | Full fat, do not shake before opening |
| 1.5 pounds | Chicken drumsticks or bone-in skinless thighs | About 4-6 pieces |
| 2 cups | Chicken broth | Low sodium |
| 2 tablespoons | Palm sugar | Finely chopped (can substitute brown sugar) |
| 3 tablespoons | Fish sauce | To taste |
| 1 tablespoon | Light soy sauce |
Noodles & Garnishes
| 1 pound | Fresh flat egg noodles (Bamee) | Divided into 1/4 for frying and 3/4 for boiling |
| 2 cups | Vegetable oil | For frying the crispy noodles |
| 0.5 cup | Pickled mustard greens | Rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped |
| 2 whole | Shallots | Thinly sliced |
| 2 whole | Limes | Cut into wedges |
| 0.25 cup | Fresh cilantro | Roughly chopped |
| 2 tablespoons | Chili oil or roasted chili paste (opt.) | For serving |
Instructions
-
Prepare the curry paste: In a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, combine the soaked chilies, chopped shallots, garlic, ginger (or galangal), turmeric, ground coriander, ground cardamom, and curry powder. Pound or blend until a smooth paste forms. If blending, add a splash of water or oil to help the blades catch.
~10 minFor an authentic texture and deeper flavor release, using a mortar and pestle is recommended over a food processor. -
Fry the crispy noodles: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan to 350°F (175°C). Take 1/4 of the fresh egg noodles, loosen them, and fry in small batches until golden brown and crispy (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
~10 minWatch the noodles closely, as they can quickly burn once they start to brown. -
Fry the curry paste: Scoop off the thick cream from the top of the cans of coconut milk (about 1 cup) and add it to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook until the cream reduces and the coconut oil begins to separate and glisten on the surface (about 5-7 minutes). Add the prepared curry paste and fry, stirring constantly, until highly aromatic, about 3-5 minutes.
~12 minIf your coconut milk doesn't separate, simply add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to help fry the paste. -
Braise the chicken: Add the chicken drumsticks or thighs to the pot and toss to coat in the curry paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes to sear slightly. Pour in the remaining coconut milk and the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil.
~5 min -
Simmer the soup: Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Season with the palm sugar, fish sauce, and light soy sauce. Cover partially and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes.
~35 minTaste the broth near the end of the cooking time and adjust seasoning. It should be rich, slightly sweet, salty, and aromatic. -
Cook the soft noodles: Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil. Cook the remaining fresh egg noodles according to package instructions (usually 1-3 minutes). Drain well and divide the soft noodles among 4 deep serving bowls.
~5 minRinse the boiled noodles quickly under warm water to remove excess starch so they don't clump. -
Assemble the Khao Soi: Ladle the hot curry broth and 1-2 pieces of chicken over the soft noodles in each bowl. Top generously with the crispy fried noodles.
~3 min -
Serve: Serve immediately with small separate bowls of chopped pickled mustard greens, sliced shallots, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and chili oil on the side, allowing diners to customize their own bowls.
The contrast between the rich broth and the sharp/sour garnishes is essential to Khao Soi, so don't skip the pickled mustard greens or lime!
Tips & Storage
- Store-bought yellow curry paste or Khao Soi paste can be substituted for the homemade paste to save time. Just use about 3-4 tablespoons.
- Bamee noodles are fresh Chinese-style egg noodles available at Asian grocers. If unavailable, dried wide egg noodles or linguine can work in a pinch.
- Pickled mustard greens are usually sold in plastic pouches at Asian markets. Be sure to rinse them, as they can be very salty.
- Storage: Store the broth with chicken separately from the boiled noodles, crispy noodles, and garnishes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the broth gently on the stove. Boil fresh noodles if possible, as stored cooked noodles may become mushy.