Khao soi
Egg noodles in a coconut curry broth with chicken or beef, under a tangle of crisp fried noodles, with pickled mustard greens, shallot and lime on the side.
What makes it khao soi
- Soft egg noodles in the broth, and crisp fried ones on top.
- A coconut curry scented with dried spices and turmeric, thinner than a gaeng.
- Pickled mustard greens, shallot, lime and chilli oil on the side, to finish it yourself.
Where it comes from
Khao soi is usually traced to the Chin Haw, Chinese Muslim traders who came down from Yunnan with their mule caravans; dishes of the same name are eaten, quite differently, in Laos and Myanmar, and how the curry came into it is argued over.
In Chiang Mai it's a one-bowl lunch, sold in shops that make little else. The curry is thinner and milder than a central Thai one, and its paste leans on dried spices — coriander seed, cardamom, turmeric — as much as on fresh ones.
How it varies
- Khao soi gai
- With a chicken leg braised in the curry.
- Khao soi neua
- With beef, often from Chiang Mai's Muslim shops.
- Lao khao soi
- A different dish: rice noodles in clear broth with a pork and tomato sauce.
Be the first here
Start your own khao soiNo one here has made khao soi yet. Start it as v1, and every version after is an experiment the next cook can learn from.
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