Dreaming of Khao Soi (Northern Thai Chicken Curry Noodle Soup)

I tried khao soi for the first time several years ago when one of my oldest and dearest friends, Victor Magsaysay, made it for me. An acclaimed installation artist at the time, Victor shifted directions and is now executive chef of SakeBar, a small but highly successful restaurant in Paris that serves stylized French food with an Asian twist.

Khao soi, a specialty of northern Thailand, is a hearty chicken curry noodle soup served over soft egg noodles. It’s garnished with noodles, shallots and chilies all fried to a crisp, and then served with lime wedges and pickled mustard greens on the side.

Khao soi is a popular street dish in Chiang Mai and the rest of Northern Thailand but it’s not as commonplace in Bangkok or, for that matter, in most Thai restaurants.

Victor lived in Thailand for a while where he learned to make khao soi by taking notes from (and even videotaping!) his favorite street vendor in action.  Now, I wish I’d done the same when he made it for me, because I’ve been hounding him for the recipe for years. Unfortunately, Victor doesn’t use recipes, preferring to work as he goes based purely on sight, smell and taste. You know how annoying those gifted ones can get.

Curry Comfort

Crappy weather and a toxic workweek had raised stress levels to new heights, so I decided it was time for some curry comfort. First, Forbidden Rice. I'm not really sure why they call it that, although the carb police would probably argue that all rice should be forbidden. As far as rice goes, though--black, fragrant and slightly nutty Forbidden Rice would probably be the best kind, being relatively high in fiber and antioxidants compared to the rest of its peers. As the grains and water do their thing in the rice cooker, it's time to move on to the Thai-Curry Seafood Stew. Totally Unrelated Thought #1: Funny how no Filipino kitchen, however minimalist, is complete without a rice cooker.

First, plop some red curry paste in a pot with some coconut cream. The recipe I used calls for a tablespoon but different pastes have different heat levels so tailor accordingly. Mine, bought in a street market in Bangkok, is not for spice wimps.  Whisk to dissolve the mixture (and any lingering aggression) and bring to a boil before adding the rest of your coconut cream.  Those of you with more space and talent can opt for fresh coconut cream.  I go with canned, given my space and ability constraints as well as my affection for all 10 fingers.