Khao Soi — Coconut Curry Noodle Bowl with Crispy Noodle Nest

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chiang Mai's most famous noodle bowl, built for a Tuesday night: store-bought red curry paste gets deepened with curry powder, turmeric and toasted coriander, then simmered with coconut milk and chicken thighs until glossy and golden. Soft egg noodles go in the bowl, a handful of the same noodles get flash-fried into a shattering nest on top, and a plate of shallot, lime and pickled mustard greens lets everyone tune their own bowl.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (Maesri or Mae Ploy)
• 1 tbsp Madras-style curry powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 cans (13.5 oz each) full-fat coconut milk, not shaken
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus more to finish

• 1 lb fresh flat Chinese egg noodles (or 12 oz dried lo mein / ramen-style egg noodles)
• 2 cups neutral oil, for frying
• kosher salt, for the noodle water

• 1/2 cup pickled mustard greens, rinsed and chopped
• 1 small red shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp Thai chili oil or chili crisp

Instructions

1. Open the coconut milk cans without shaking and spoon the thick cream off the top of both into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot (you want about 1 cup of cream); reserve the thin liquid below. Set the pot over medium heat and cook the cream, stirring, for 4–6 minutes, until it thins out, then splits and you see clear oil pooling at the edges.
2. Add the 2 tablespoons neutral oil, the red curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garlic and ginger. Fry in the split coconut fat over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens to a deep brick-gold and smells toasty rather than raw. Keep the heat moderate so the spices don't scorch.
3. Add the chicken thigh pieces and stir to coat every piece in the paste; cook 2 minutes just to seal. Pour in the reserved thin coconut milk and the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot clean. Bring to a bare simmer.
4. Stir in the fish sauce, palm sugar and soy sauce. Simmer uncovered, adjusting heat so it never boils hard, for 22–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the curry has reduced slightly and turned glossy with an orange sheen. Taste and balance: more fish sauce for salt, a pinch more sugar for roundness, then stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice off the heat.
5. While the curry simmers, fry the crispy nests. Pull out about 4 ounces of the noodles (if using dried, use them uncooked but soak 2 minutes in warm water and pat very dry; if using fresh, loosen the strands and pat dry). Heat the 2 cups frying oil in a small saucepan to 350°F.
6. Fry the noodles in 4 small loose handfuls, one at a time, for 30–45 seconds, turning once, until puffed, pale gold and crisp — they cook fast, so pull them before they brown deeply. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly. Set aside uncovered so they stay crunchy.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the remaining noodles according to package directions until just tender, usually 2–3 minutes for fresh and 4–5 for dried. Drain well, rinse briefly under hot water to remove surface starch, and divide among 4 wide bowls.
8. Ladle the hot curry and chicken generously over the noodles, about 1½ cups per bowl, making sure everyone gets some of the orange oil from the surface. Top each with a fried noodle nest.
9. Serve immediately with the pickled mustard greens, sliced shallot, scallions, cilantro, lime wedges and chili oil on a plate at the table so each person can pile on garnishes, squeeze lime and stir the crispy nest in as they eat.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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