Issan Soup

[frugalyankee]

While in Chiang Mai, we had a wonderful Issan soup - tomato and coconut milk base with curry + soft noodles + hard noodles + chicken. Unfortuantely do not remeber the name of the soup to get a recipe for it. Any ide what it is called?

[patri]

Perhaps you meant "Kao Soi"? It's a northern soup not Issan soup though...

[realthaideal]

While in Chiang Mai, we had a wonderful Issan soup - tomato and coconut milk base with curry + soft noodles + hard noodles + chicken. Unfortuantely do not remeber the name of the soup to get a recipe for it. Any ide what it is called?

Hey Frugal... Yeah, the other guy is right. It was Khao Soi, a Burmese influenced Curry that is particular to Chiang Mai, and Lanna, the North of Thailand, not Issaan, the East. But that's ok.

As for the base...it does taste particularly like a tomato base in some of the places out here - including Lam Duan the one that claims to be the oldest place in CM serving the stuff. (Theirs is great, and tuk-tuk driver recommneded by the way!)

In general they use a pinch or two of a pre-made curry spice for the soup which is chicken or pork bones broth to which coconut milk is added. The sweet and vegetably tomato taste is actually roasted chillies ground and added to the curry mix by the individual makers. Som Khao Soi is quite red, others more yellow. The chili is added in 2 ways, btw - to the curry mix, and then usually by diners tableside with other condiments like pickled cabbage, shallots, and lime juice. They call roasted chillies "Prik Paow", if you wanna know.

As it's a local favorite, I'm not sure if you'll find it outside the Kingdom. I'm not sure where you are now. But do make a trip back to CM for Kaho Soi when you get the chance.

Man! I think I need to eat a bowl of it for lunch tomorrow!! Great place out at 3 Kings Monument too.

[BambinA]

Recipe

(hehe i like the url's name "chubbyhubby" )

http://www.chubbyhubby.net/2006/03/my-favo...ry-noodles.html

Khao Soi Gai

(The Four Seasons Resort , Chaing Mai)

1portion

100g chicken pieces

2 small portions egg noodles

1 teaspoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon yellow curry powder

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon white sugar

2 pieces sawtooth coriander, sliced

1/2 tablespoon spring onion, sliced

condiments

3 teaspoons pickled mustard leaves, chopped

1/2 piece lime

1 tablespoon shallots, diced

chili oil

Heat some vegetable oil in a wok. Deep fry 1 portion of the egg noodles. Set this aside.

Blanch/boil the other portion of noodles in boiling water, drain and place in a soup bowl with some of the sawtooth coriander. Heat another wok and when hot, add half of the coconut milk, the red curry paste, the yellow curry powder, and stir until everything is blended together and it starts to boil. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the fish sauce and the sugar. When it starts boiling again, lower the heat and add the chicken and chicken stock. When the chicken is cooked, pour the chicken and the curry sauce/soup over the noodles that are in the soup bowl. Then put the fried noodles on top and garnish with some spring onion.

You can add more fish sauce and sugar to taste. Also, add in some of the mustard leaves and shallots and squeeze some lime juice over the noodles. If you like things hot, you can add some chili oil.