Description
Welcome, food enthusiasts! If you’re in search of a vibrant, flavorful, and truly comforting meal, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re diving into a classic Northern Thai dish:Khao Soi, also known as Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup. This delicious noodle soup is a harmonious blend of spices, creamy coconut milk, and tender noodles, making it a perfect dish to savor any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6ounces dry rice noodles
- 1 tablespooncoconut, peanut, or olive oil
- 1large shallot, finely diced (or substitute withhalf anonion)
- 2 tablespoonschopped lemongrass
- 4garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoonsThai Red Curry Paste (store-bought), more for spicier soup
- 1/2 teaspoonground turmeric (or use freshly grated turmeric)
- 1/2 teaspoonyellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoonground cardamom
- 14-ouncecan of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cupchicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 4–6kaffir lime leaves(optional but recommended)
- 1red bell pepper, thinly sliced (substitute other veggies if preferred)
- 2 tablespoonsfish sauce or vegan fish sauce
- 2 tablespoonssoy sauce (reduce if using vegan fish sauce)
- 2 tablespoonsbrown or palm sugar
- 1 tablespoonchili garlic sauce (Sambal Oelek)
- 8–12ouncesprotein: prawns, crispy tofu, or thinly sliced chicken breast
- Salt and pepperto taste
- 1lime, for squeezing
- Fresh basil (Thai basil is ideal)
- Pickled mustard greens (traditional)
- Cilantro
- Bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- Crispy noodles
- Thinly sliced red onions or scallions
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Swap chicken broth with vegetable broth and use tofu as the protein
Instructions
- Place the rice noodles in a large baking dish and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit, stirring occasionally until they are al dente. Drain and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
- While the noodles are soaking, prep your protein of choice—whether prawns, chicken, or tofu. Dice the shallots, chop the garlic and lemongrass, and slice the red bell pepper.
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and lemongrass. Sauté until fragrant and golden, about 3-4 minutes. Then, add the red curry paste, turmeric, yellow curry powder, and cardamom. Sauté for another minute to release the flavors.
- Pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, and kaffir lime leaves. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add the red bell pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili garlic paste. Stir to combine.
- Add the prawns (or your choice of protein) and gently simmer until fully cooked. For prawns, this will take about 3-5 minutes. If using chicken, ensure it is thoroughly cooked.
- Give a generous squeeze of lime juice and taste the soup. Adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red curry paste as needed. The goal is to balance salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.
- Divide the cooked noodles into serving bowls. Ladle the flavorful soup over the noodles, ensuring an even distribution of protein and vegetables.
- Top each bowl with your preferred garnishes such as fresh basil, pickled mustard greens, crispy noodles, bean sprouts, and lime wedges. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Fresh Ingredients are Key: Use fresh lemongrass, garlic, and lime leaves for the best flavor.
Adjust Spice Levels: If you prefer a milder soup, reduce the amount of red curry paste or omit the chili garlic sauce.
Make It Ahead: The soup base can be prepared a day in advance, allowing the flavors to meld together.