Khao soi (beef flat egg noodle)

Tam West

This recipe is by chef Lek Trirattanavatin from Ponsonby's Saan: "Khao soi means hand-cut rice noodle in Thai, because original flat egg noodles contain rice flour. It is a true traditional northern region (Lanna) dish, which was influenced by the Chin Haws (Chinese Muslim people who migrated to Thailand via Burma). The dish is a blend of Chinese, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian. It is very rare to find khao soi in any other part of Thailand, but it's commonly found in the North, especially in Chiang Mai. My mother is originally from the Phichit Province, Northern Region, and she passed on the family's khao soi recipe to me. It is a very unique one. Phichit Province produces the best quality rice and therefore they have the best khao soi flat egg noodles. Traditionally, khao soi can be made with beef or chicken, but some people do use pork or sai ua sausage for this dish."

Read more on chef Lek and saan in our feature: From my home to yours.

Ingredients

500 g	Beef neck, including bones (Main)
1 Tbsp	Salt
2	Cinnamon sticks
1 pinch	Black peppercorns
2 stalks	Lemongrass, see Glossary
40 g	Curry paste, see recipe below for the khao soi paste
1 can	Coconut milk
150 ml	Beef stock, from the beef necks
4 Tbsp	Fish sauce
1 pinch	Salt
2 tsp	Palm sugar, see pantry notes below
320 g	Egg noodles, fresh, flat (Main)
30 g	Spring onions, chopped
20 g	Fresh coriander, chopped
40 g	Shallots, chopped
20 g	Limes, cut into quarters
30 g	Pickled mustard greens, see pantry notes below
25 g	Bean sprouts
1 dash	Chilli oil

Khao soi curry paste

5 g	Bird's eye chillies
30 g	Dried red chillies, soaked
10 g	Garlic
10 g	Lemongrass
5 g	Ground turmeric

Directions

1. Cut beef neck into pieces, then put in a pot, with the salt, cinnamon and peppercorns. Cover with cold water. Boil for one hour or until soft.
2. Add bashed lemongrass and turn the heat off. Drain to separate the stock adding the lemongrass back to the broth.
3. Separate the bones from the meat.
4. Put khao soi curry paste into a saucepan and cook on high heat until it becomes oily. Add coconut milk and beef stock, bring to the boil and season with fish sauce, salt and palm sugar.
5. Blanch flat egg noodles in boiling water, then drain and place in serving bowls. Put beef on the top and pour over the khao soi broth.
6. Garnish with spring onion, coriander and some deep-fried flat egg noodles (optional). Serve bowls of shallot, limes, pickled mustard greens, bean sprouts and chilli oil separately for people to add themselves.

Pantry notes

• Find soft palm sugar at Asian grocers, or substitute with hard palm sugar.
• Find pickled mustard greens (preferably the ones in a bag) at Asian supermarkets.

More recipes from Saan

• Larb ped (spicy duck mint salad
• Somtum (spicy green papaya salad)