Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Curry Paste Base
- 30 g yellow curry paste
- 30 g red curry paste
- 10 g curry powder
- 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and finely crushed
- 2 g coriander seeds, toasted and ground
Broth and Proteins
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 500 ml chicken broth
- 600 g chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs, skin-on
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 20 g palm sugar, finely chopped
Noodles
- 400 g fresh flat egg noodles
- 500 ml neutral frying oil
Garnishes
- 60 g pickled mustard greens, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 40 g shallots, thinly sliced
- 15 g cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 limes, cut into wedges
- 20 g roasted chili oil, nam prik pao or similar chili crisp
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 2048 kcal
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbohydrates
- 88 g
- Fat
- 170 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 2149 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 25 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 154 mg
- Potassium
- 2002 mg
- Calcium
- 429 mg
- Iron
- 13.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 355 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1335 mg
- Zinc
- 9.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 118 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.40 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.80 mg
- Niacin
- 13.1 mg
- Folate
- 71 mcg
- Water
- 215 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Gently tease apart the fresh egg noodles to ensure they do not clump. Separate about 100g of the noodles to be fried, leaving the remaining 300g to be boiled later.
Pour the neutral frying oil into a wok and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F. Carefully drop a small cluster of the separated 100g of noodles into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crispy, flipping once, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Scoop out 45ml of the thick coconut cream from the top of your undisturbed can of coconut milk. Add it to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Simmer until the coconut oil begins to separate from the white solids, about 3 minutes.
Add the yellow curry paste, red curry paste, curry powder, crushed cardamom, and ground coriander to the separated coconut cream. Sauté constantly until highly fragrant and the oil turns a deep red-gold color, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the chicken drumsticks or thighs to the pot, tossing them in the hot curry paste to coat completely. Cook for 2 minutes to gently toast the spices onto the meat.
Pour in the remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and chopped palm sugar. Stir well to combine. Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and is fall-off-the-bone tender, about 30 minutes.
While the curry is in its final 5 minutes of simmering, bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the remaining 300g of fresh egg noodles according to package instructions until tender but springy, usually about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Divide the boiled soft noodles evenly among four deep serving bowls. Taste the curry broth and adjust seasoning if necessary, looking for a balance of salty, sweet, and rich spice. Ladle a generous amount of the hot coconut broth and 1 to 2 pieces of chicken over the noodles in each bowl.
Top each bowl with a handful of the crispy fried noodles. Arrange the sliced shallots, chopped pickled mustard greens, and cilantro around the edge of the bowl. Serve immediately with a wedge of lime and a small spoonful of roasted chili oil on the side for diners to mix in.
Chef's Notes
- Separating the coconut cream from the milk and frying the curry paste in it is a traditional Thai technique called cracking the cream. It releases essential oils from the spices resulting in a much more aromatic and vibrant curry.
- Black cardamom can be substituted for green cardamom if you want a smokier, deeper flavor profile typical of certain Northern Thai and border region recipes.
- Frying egg noodles perfectly requires them to be at room temperature and slightly dried out on the surface before hitting the hot oil. This prevents dangerous splattering and clumping.
- Do not skip the pickled mustard greens. Their sharp, earthy acidity is absolutely critical to cutting through the rich, heavy coconut broth and providing balance to the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store broth, soft noodles, and garnishes in separate airtight containers. Do not refrigerate crispy noodles.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the curry broth and chicken only. Noodles and fresh garnishes do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat broth gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until bubbling. Blanch leftover soft noodles in boiling water for 10 seconds to revive them before assembling.
Troubleshooting
Coconut broth looks split or greasy at the end of simmering
Cause: Boiling the coconut milk too vigorously during the simmering phase
Fix: While traditional Thai curries embrace a little oil separation, an excessively greasy broth can be emulsified slightly by removing it from the heat and whisking in a splash of water or 30ml of fresh coconut milk
Prevention: Maintain a very gentle simmer once the main liquid is added and avoid covering the pot completely if it traps too much heat
Crispy noodles burn quickly and taste bitter
Cause: Frying oil temperature was too high or noodles were left in too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard burnt noodles and fry a new batch
Prevention: Ensure oil is exactly 180C/350F and fry in very small batches, keeping a close eye as they brown in seconds
Cultural Context
Khao Soi is the undisputed iconic dish of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand. Its roots reflect a rich cross-cultural history, originating from Chinese Muslim traders known as the Chin Haw who traveled through the spice routes of Myanmar and Laos. The distinct use of dried spices like cardamom and coriander sets it apart from the fresh-herb-heavy green and red curries of Central Thailand.
