Making Khao Soi

[LaReina]

I am trying to figure out how to make Khao Soi. I know they have the ready made packets in Big C, but I would rather make everything from scratch.

I have found two different methods of preparation on the net and would appreciate it if someone could tell me which is a more realistic recipe.

1. 
   

First method

3-4 pounds chicken, cut into large pieces

(or you could use 2 legs, 2 thighs and 2 breast pieces, about 3 pounds altogether)

2 ½ tbsp. Red Curry Paste

2 tbsp. Oil

3 cups Coconut Milk

1 tbsp. Curry Powder

½ tbsp. Turmeric Powder

1 piece star anise

1 cinnamon stick

4 cloves

2 cardamom seeds

Water or chicken stock 1-1 ½ cup(s)

½ tsp. Sugar

Fish Sauce to taste

2nd method

o Curry paste

o 2 Tbs. coriander seeds, roasted and ground

o 12 Thai cardamoms – hulled, roasted, then ground

o 2 tsp. cumin, roasted and ground

o 20 dried red chillies, roasted with a pinch of salt and ground finely

o 2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

o 2 tsp. ground mace

o 2 Tbs. yellow curry powder

o 1 Tbs. sea salt

o 2 Tbs. minced fresh turmeric

o 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

o 2 Tbs. minced cilantro roots (or substitute with bottom stems)

o 1 head garlic, minced

o 5 shallots, minced

o 4 14-oz cans coconut milk (use Chaokoh)

o 2 1/2 lb. boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks

o 2 lbs. fresh egg noodles (see notes)

o 3 cups peanut oil for frying noodles

[sbk]

Although I do not know Northern food that well(this is a northern dish) I suspect the second one is closer to the real thing as it uses more of the fresh herbs and spices instead of dried or powdered. All of the Thai cooks I know prefer fresh ingredients.

[madjbs]

I use something similar to the first method. As long as you can find a good curry paste at your local market then it should tern out great. Also Blue Dragon curry paster which you can get in Lotus (I think?) works well.

Jake

[lannarebirth]

I like the second one but I'd leave out the coconut milk. It isn;t part of the dish as served in the north and is an adulteration to suit central Thai tastes.

[LaReina]

for the record, the first one tastes okay.. smells like it, but it is not Khao Soi. Too red and when I showed it to some friends they immeidately called it something else.

[BambinA]

Hello my dear LaReina

Don't be pout

I found some reliable recipes of Khao Soi so i translate for you

http://www.lannafood.com/fooddetail.php?fid=11

http://www.mcdang.com/McDangPlangros/ps14.html

(Thai lang)

Ingredients

CHilli paste

- (roasted)dried chilli 7 chillis

- (roasted) red oninon 3/4 cup

- (roasted) sliced ginger 1/4 cup

- (roasted) sliced turmeric 3 tablespoon

- coriander seeds 1/4 cup

- roasted Shago (northen herb) 9 gloves

- salt 1 tablespoon

grind all

Prickled

sugar 1/4 cup

salt 2tablespoon

vinegar 3 cup

Chinese cabbage or mustard greens Pickled(only stalk) 1 kg

(diced)red onion 500g

Mixed sugar+salt+vinegar >> heat

wait till the mixer above getting cold then put pickled and onion in it, keep it in the fridge for 24 hrs

- Noodle

- Chicken 1 kg (about 10 drumsticks or other part you like)

- Coconut milk 7-8 cups

- Salt 1-2 Tablespoon

-Soya sauce

-sweet black soya sauce 2 tablespoon

In a pot

1) Heat coconut milk till it is boiled

2) Add Chicken then boiling it till it's tender

in a <deleted>

1) heat 1/4 cup of coconut till it's boiled

2) add chilli paste. Stired fried

3) but this part to the boiled chicken in coconut milk above

add salt ,soya sauce and sweet black soya sauce ..taste and adjust it till it is yummy

To Serve:

1. After the chicken curry is done, heat up a large pot of water to a full boil. Rinse the rest of the fresh noodles first in cold water to wash out the excess starch, and then cook in very hot boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Stir the noodles well to prevent sticking.

2. Put some cooked noodles into a bowl, top with the curry and put fried noodles on top.

3. Garnish to taste with shallots, pickle, chili and limejuice.

[BambinA]

I asked for a favour from my farang friend (who loves Khao Soi loads) to take a photo of his cookbook.

He makes this dish often(he lives in Australia). He told me that the taste of Khao Soi in this recipe was quite similar to the Khao soi he ate in TH.

This is his Khao Soi

Edited July 5, 2007 by BambinA

[LaReina]

Way cool, I owe you big time..

Thanks!!!

[luumak]

dude - you kill me. just buy the packet for b20. almost all 'curries' come from a paste these days.

[crowbait]

I asked for a favour from my farang friend (who loves Khao Soi loads) to take a photo of his cookbook.

He makes this dish often(he lives in Australia). He told me that the taste of Khao Soi in this recipe was quite similar to the Khao soi he ate in TH.

This is his Khao Soi

Many thanks for this recipe, tried it on Sat and it was very nice.