The must-try noodle dish in Chiang Mai

(September 2009)

Khao soi, or khao soy, has to be the most well-known street food in Northern Thailand.

Khao soi is a noodle-in-curry-broth dish which was traditionally served at hawker stalls during the day. Now, khoa soi is also served for dinner in many restaurants in Chiang Mai.

You’ll also find khao soi in Luang Prabang, Laos but it is a completely different dish served with rice noodle and without coconut milk.

If you do a search on khao soi, you’ll find that it is reported to be a Muslim-Chinese dish which originated from Yunan, China. This explains why the dish is normally served with either beef or chicken.

With the regional trading and migration over time, the dish reached various parts of Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia. In fact, the popular Penang curry mee is reported to be a variation of khao soi as the creamy and white-colored broth is similar.

The curry broth of khao soi is light in consistency which is similar to the curry mee broth in Penang, instead of the thick curry broth in KL.

A bowl of khao soi generally consists of:

Main ingredients:

• Flat flour and egg noodle
• Creamy coconut-based broth
• Pieces of beef or chicken
• Deep-fried noodle strips as topping

Secondary or optional ingredients:

• Shallots
• Pickled or preserved vegetable
• Lime
• Chili paste

As with any noodle-in-curry dish, the noodle, broth, and just as important, the chili paste, are the ingredients which separate the good and the great.

The texture of the flour noodle depends on:

1. the quality of the flour and egg,
2. hand-made or machine-made, and
3. the skill of the noodle maker.

The consistency and flavor of the broth and the chili paste depend on:

1. the quality of the soup stock, coconut milk, curry powder, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, chopped garlic, and salt/fish sauce, and
2. the ratio of the combination of the ingredients.

The secondary ingredients are usually served on the side so that you can add according to your preference.

Like many Chinese dishes which use pickled or preserved vegetables, khao soi is served with either the salty-based or the sweet-based variety. It depends on your preference as I tried and liked both.

A common mistake made by many curry makers is using excessive coconut milk in the broth. Although the high amount of coconut milk creates a thick and creamy consistency in the broth which is favored by many in Central/Southern Malaysia and Singapore. This often result in the taste and aroma of the coconut milk overpowering all the other ingredients and spices.

The key is to have the right amount of coconut milk to balance the spices as the dish is supposed to be full of spices without being spicy. Does that make sense? Haha…

Personally, I prefer khoa soi with a rich but not thick coconut milk broth where I can taste the soup stock, coriander, turmeric but not the curry powder.