Best Chiang Mai Curried Noodle And Chicken Soup Kao Soi Gai Recipes

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CHIANG MAI CURRY NOODLES (KAO SOI)



Chiang Mai Curry Noodles (Kao Soi) image

In Northern Thailand, kao soi is a meal for one, served up in an enormous bowl and garnished with a playful tangle of crunchy egg noodles fried crisp for a contrast in texture to the tender noodles and smooth, sunny-colored sauce. The standard condiments include Chinese-style ground chilies in oil, chopped pickled cabbage and wedges of lime. *** To make crispy noodle nests, you'll need about ½ lb thin fresh egg noodles. Heat about 2 cups vegetable oil in a wok or small, deep skillet to about 375 F. Carefully add a handful of noodles, let it sizzle and brown a few seconds, turn gently with tongs, and transfer the "nest" to a platter to cool. Serve in individual soup bowls with chopsticks or forks for the noodles, and big spoons for the delicious curry sauce. Recipe courtesy of Nancie McDermott.

Provided by Sandi From CA

Categories     Curries

Time 30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons red curry paste or 2 tablespoons panang curry paste
3/4 lb boneless beef such as tri-tip steak or 3/4 lb flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons ground turmeric or 2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce or 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 lb angel hair pasta or 1/2 lb spaghetti
1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallot
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion

Steps:

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic. Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste.
  • Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes until meat is cooked through.
  • Stir in lime juice, remove from heat and cover to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.
  • Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh noodles and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again and divide the noodles among individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with the shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot and garnish with crunchy noodle nests as noted in description if using.

KHAO SOI GAI (NORTHERN THAI COCONUT-CURRY NOODLES WITH CHICKEN)



Khao Soi Gai (Northern Thai Coconut-Curry Noodles With Chicken) image

You'll find khao soi, a deeply fragrant, coconut milk-based stew, throughout Southeast Asia, but the dish is a specialty of Chiang Mai, a city in Northern Thailand. Chicken is simmered in a creamy, spicy-sweet broth, then served over boiled egg noodles and garnished with crunchy fried noodles. (When made with beef, the dish is called khao soi nuea.) This version is adapted from Noree Thai, a restaurant in Los Angeles, which Noree Pla owns with her partner, the chef Fern Kaewtathip. Ms. Pla serves the khao soi she learned from her mother, which requires more than a dozen ingredients, but once you have the ingredients prepared, the dish comes together in less than an hour. For a lighter broth, use about half of the curry paste; for a more pungent khao soi, use it all.

Provided by Daniela Galarza

Categories     dinner, curries, noodles, poultry, main course

Time 4h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

3 dried red Thai chiles (or chiles de árbol)
2 fresh or dried makrut lime leaves (optional)
15 cilantro stems with leaves (about 1/4 bunch)
2 large shallots or 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 (1 1/2- to 2-inch) pieces fresh, unpeeled turmeric, scrubbed and roughly chopped (or 2 tablespoons ground turmeric)
1 (4-inch) piece lemongrass, from the base of the stalk, sliced
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon shrimp paste or 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest (preferably from a fresh makrut lime)
3 cups neutral oil
1 (16-ounce) package dried, flat Chinese-style egg noodles, or dried tagliatelle pasta nests
Kosher salt
2 (13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk (not shaken or stirred)
2 cups chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
Kosher salt
8 chicken leg drumsticks (about 2 pounds)
2 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 to 4 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought Yunnanese-style pickled mustard greens, for serving
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced, for serving
Chile paste or chile oil, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the curry paste: Bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the dried chiles and makrut lime leaves (if using) to a small bowl; pour the boiling water on top and let steep for 10 minutes.
  • While the mixture steeps, separate the cilantro leaves from the stems; set leaves and any tender stems aside for garnish. Roughly chop cilantro stems and add to a small food processor (or the bowl of a large mortar and pestle) along with the shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, curry powder, shrimp paste (if using) and lime zest.
  • Add the soaked chile mixture (including its liquid) and process (or crush with a pestle) until curry paste is smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 10 minutes for either method. Curry paste can be made up to 2 weeks ahead; store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
  • Prepare the fried noodles: In a medium (2-quart) saucepan, bring 3 cups neutral oil to 325 degrees over medium-high heat. Add 4 ounces noodles and fry, flipping once or twice, until light brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer noodles to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside until ready to serve. Cool, strain and store remaining oil in a covered jar for another use.
  • Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium. Add about 1/4 cup coconut cream, scraped from the top of one of the cans of coconut milk, to the pot and let it melt, about 10 seconds. Add at least half of the curry paste - or more, for a more pungent khao soi - and stir until deeply fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and the remaining coconut milk, and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture just to a low boil, about 3 minutes.
  • Use 1 tablespoon salt to season drumsticks, then add them to the boiling curry mixture. Cover, and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover, lower heat, and add remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock along with 1 cup water. (It should be more like soup than stew.) Season to taste with fish sauce, sugar and salt. Turn heat to very low, and cover to keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 12 ounces noodles. Cook until al dente. Drain and portion into four bowls. Add 2 drumsticks to each bowl, and about 2 cups curry broth. Garnish with fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, sliced shallots, chile paste or oil, reserved cilantro leaves and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

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