Name: Khao Soi Recipe: How to make Chiang Mai Curried Noodles
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 58 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Burmese, Thai
Ingredients: 1 each black cardamom pod (badi elaichi); 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya); 4 each dried red chillies, long, deseeded but kept whole; 5 each shallots, whole, with skin; 5 plump garlic cloves, whole, with skin; 2 tablespoons ginger, sliced; 5 teaspoons fresh turmeric, sliced; 4 each coriander roots, fresh , roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 1 1/2 cups coconut cream, divided use; 600 grams chicken, 2 legs, whole, and 2 thighs, cut into 2 pieces; 1 1/2 tablespoons light soya sauce; 2 teaspoons dark soya sauce; 1 1/2 teaspoons palm sugar, or to taste; 1 1/2 cups coconut milk; 3/4 cup chicken stock; 1 each pandan leaf, (kewra); 175 grams noodles, preferably egg noodles, boiled in water until tender; each red chilli powder, Roasted To garnish; 150 grams onions, thinly sliced, fried to a crispy brown; each pickled radish, chopped, to garnish; 4 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped; 2 handfuls noodles, boiled, then deep fried till golden and crisp; 4 each red chillies, Fried, roughly chopped; 4 each red chillies, fresh, sliced finely at an angle; 3 each limes, sliced or cut in wedges

Khao Soi Recipe: How To Make Chiang Mai Curried Noodles

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Khao soi, khao soy, kao soi, kao soy, khao suey, or kow soi is a curry-based noodle dish from Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand. It is also known as northern Thai noodles, Chiang Mai noodles, or Chiang Mai curried noodles.

Our Khao Soi recipe results in a delectable meal in a bowl that will have you asking for more!

This signature Chiang Mai street food is arguably northern Thailand’s most popular culinary export because it’s sufficiently distinctive without being too unfamiliar and, most important, khao soi is totally delicious.

Even in Chiang Mai, the Mecca of the best khao soi soup, there are hundreds of variations. Some claim that the dish is derived from the cuisine of the Chinese Muslims (Yunnanese Muslims) who migrated to the north of Thailand and lived in Chiang Mai in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Others believe the dish originated in the Golden Triangle encompassing Burma (Myanmar), Laos, and northern Thailand. Others claim that it is similar to the Burmese egg noodle dish, khao swè.

No matter its origins, the best khao suey recipes capture the key quintessential Southeast Asian flavours balanced beautifully—hot, sweet, salty, and sour from the lime wedges—all in one dish.

Who can resist khao soi with its chicken-based broth with fresh coconut cream, its rich and creamy texture, its complex and deeply layered flavours, and its enticing aromas?

Khow Suey recipes are available in chicken, seafood, and vegetarian variants. If you want to make your khao soi recipe vegetarian, substitute the chicken with tofu, and the chicken stock with light vegetable stock or water.

Tips to make the best khao soi:

The heart of khao soi is the curry paste or khao soi paste—fragrant, aromatic, earthy, smoky, but surprisingly mild. It is a combination of moist aromatics and dry spices, later simmered with coconut milk, which lends richness and depth. For best results, roast the aromatics before making the curry paste as we have done in our khao soi recipe (we strongly suggest not skipping this step). This substantially enhances their flavours and makes them easier to pound or grind. Try and use a real mortar and pestle (instead of a food processor) to extract the most flavour. You can make the khao soi curry paste two or three days ahead and refrigerate it without any major loss of flavour.

In Chiang Mai, khao soi noodles are traditionally yellow, stretchy, flat egg noodles, similar in thickness to fettuccini.

The egg noodles in authentic khao soi are served two ways—chewy soft boiled noodles and a nest of crispy crunchy fried noodles as garnishing on the top, providing a wonderful contrast in taste and texture.

Be careful not to overcook the boiled khao soi noodles. They should have the perfect desired stretchy-chewy consistency when served at the table.

Because khao soi is technically a curry, the curry should be slurp-able, with a consistency like that of a light cream soup.

The standard toppings for chicken khao suey recipe are crispy fried noodles, wedges of lime, pickled radish (which add a wonderful flavour), shallots or onions (crispy fried), fresh coriander leaves, roasted red chilli powder, red chillies in oil, red chillies (fried and fresh), and chilli oil.

Follow our easy, tried and tested khao suey recipe video to learn how to make khao soi at home with no fuss and in a jiffy. We promise you will slurp every last noodle from your bowl.

You may also like:

Soupy Chicken Noodles
Sichuan Chicken Noodles
Veg Thukpa Noodle Soup
Ginger and Black Bean Noodles
Udon Noodles with Egg
Pad Thai Noodles
Thai Cucumber Salad

Or see all our delicious Thai Recipes right here!
RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS

Khao Soi Paste:
1 black cardamom pod (badi elaichi)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
4 dried red chillies, long, deseeded but kept whole
5 shallots, whole, with skin
5 plump garlic cloves, whole, with skin
2 tablespoons ginger, sliced
5 teaspoons fresh turmeric, sliced
4 coriander roots, fresh , roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

- 1 1⁄2 cups coconut cream, divided use
600 grams chicken, 2 legs, whole, and 2 thighs, cut into 2 pieces
1 1⁄2 tablespoons light soya sauce
2 teaspoons dark soya sauce
1 1⁄2 teaspoons palm sugar, or to taste
1 1⁄2 cups coconut milk
3⁄4 cup chicken stock
1 pandan leaf, (kewra)

- 175 grams noodles, preferably egg noodles, boiled in water until tender
red chilli powder, roasted to garnish
150 grams onions, thinly sliced, fried to a crispy brown
pickled radish, chopped, to garnish
4 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
2 handfuls noodles, boiled, then deep fried till golden and crisp
4 red chillies, fried, roughly chopped
4 red chillies, fresh, sliced finely at an angle
3 limes, sliced or cut in wedges

COOKING METHOD

Dry roast whole spices: Place a wok on low heat and toss in black cardamom and coriander seeds. Dry roast, stirring continuously, till fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in a spice grinder and grind till powdered. Reserve spice powder.

Make Khao Soi paste: Skewer red chillies onto 1 soaked bamboo skewer (soak skewers for around 2 hours), shallots and garlic onto another bamboo skewer, and ginger and turmeric slices onto a third bamboo skewer. Place all 3 skewers directly onto a grill or flame, turning to roast evenly till just slightly charred. Remove 2 skewers (chillies and ginger / turmeric) leaving the shallot and garlic skewer on the heat till well charred and blackened. Remove and when cool enough to handle, peel shallots and garlic.

Toss all roasted ingredients – peeled shallots, red chillies, turmeric, ginger, peeled garlic – into a grinder or food processor, along with fresh coriander roots, salt, reserved spice powder, and 2 tablespoons water. Run grinder to make a fairly smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and set khao soi paste aside.

Pour ¾ cup coconut cream into a wok on medium heat. Stir continuously and cook till it thickens and ‘cracks’ (the oil starts separating). Tip in prepared khao soi paste and cook, stirring, till cooked through and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

Tip in chicken, stir, and let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add light soya sauce (or fish sauce as an option), dark soya sauce, and palm sugar, give it a few good stirs, then pour in coconut milk. Stir vigorously, then allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and cook till the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining ¾ cup coconut cream and pandan leaf, stir through, check seasoning adding salt if needed, then remove from heat. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes for the flavours to develop and blend.

Assemble Khao Soi: Divide boiled egg noodles into 4 bowls. Ladle on equal amounts of hot khao soi curry soup and chicken pieces, then garnish to taste with roasted red chilli powder, crispy fried onions, pickled radish, coriander leaves, and top with crispy fried noodles. Sprinkle on chopped fried red chillies and sliced fresh red chillies. Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra garnishes on the side.

Serves: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 26 minutes
Cook Time: 58 minutes
Tags:khao soi recipe, khow suey recipe, khao suey recipe
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