Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Noodle Soup, known as "Khao Soi"
A fragrant Northern Thai curry noodle soup with tender chicken thighs simmered in a homemade curry paste and coconut milk, served over egg noodles and topped with crispy fried noodles.
Equipment
- Food processor (or mortar and pestle)
- Medium pot
- Separate pan for frying noodles
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 4 Thai chilies or to taste
- 2 medium shallots chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 inch piece ginger sliced (or 1 tablespoon grated ginger paste, or 1 1/4 teaspoons ginger powder)
- 1/4 cup cilantro stems and leaves or 2-3 cilantro roots, optional
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 4 kaffir lime leaves or zest of 1 lime
- 1 inch piece turmeric or 1 1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons shrimp paste
Soup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs sliced
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons palm sugar or regular sugar
- 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk 1 can
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste
Noodles
- 1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles
Garnish
- Thinly sliced shallots
- Fried shallots optional
- Lime wedges
- Chopped pickled mustard stems or salted pickled radish
- Crispy fried egg noodles
- Chopped cilantro
- Thai chili paste optional for extra spicy
Instructions
- Prepare the curry paste by adding all curry paste ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth. You can use a mortar and pestle if you don't have a food processor.
- Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat and cook the chicken until browned. Set aside the chicken and use the same pot to cook the curry paste, stirring constantly until the spices are well combined and fragrant. Add the Thai red curry paste, sugar, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then pour in the coconut milk and fish sauce and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add back the chicken.
- While the curry is simmering, cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- To fry noodles for topping, heat some oil in a separate pan and fry a handful of egg noodles until crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Divide the cooked egg noodles into serving bowls. Ladle the curry and chicken over the noodles. Top with sliced shallots, chopped pickled mustard greens, fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, crispy fried shallots, fried egg noodles, and chili paste for extra heat, if desired.