Sunday Soup #107: Chicken Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)

Not long ago, my friends Bill, Sheila, and Christina turned me onto a Netflix show called "Somebody Feed Phil," starring the creator and writer of "Everybody Loves Raymond," Phil Rosenthal. The show centers on Phil traveling around the world and trying remarkable cultural cuisine, all while telling local human interest stories. As I watched the first few episodes, two things quickly became apparent: 1) Phil is absolutely delightful; and 2) Never has a food/travel show made me so genuinely hungry! Phil, who eats soup AT LEAST once an episode, travels to so many places to which I've also been (I'm up to 42 countries and counting!) and eats all of the wonderful dishes I loved when I was there, which reminded me how much I miss traveling (especially in the midst of my current pandemic-related isolation). During his Thailand episode, Phil shared a bowl of Khao Soi (a traditional coconut milk and egg noodle soup served in Northern Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos) with a friend and enjoyed the heck out of it. I knew immediately what I'd be making for my next Sunday soup. :-)

This recipe came from: https://damndelicious.net/2019/03/28/chicken-khao-soi-thai-coconut-curry-noodle-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://damndelicious.net/2019/03/28/chicken-khao-soi-thai-coconut-curry-noodle-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I used lo mein instead of chow mein noodles (from eatthis.com: "Chow mein, in English, means fried noodles, whereas lo mein translates to stirred or tossed noodles") because it's what my supermarket had in stock. I used vegetable oil rather than canola oil because it is what I had on hand. And, I used regular (rather than low sodium) soy sauce.

General Thoughts: The prep wasn't that tough, as it just involved a bit of chopping (i.e., onions, shallots, and cilantro) and blending the coconut milk and roasted red peppers together. What was much more time and attention intensive was the actual cooking process, as it involved cooking the noodles and actively sautéeing, stirring, etc. during most of the cooking time. Despite that, all in all, it did not feel super labor-intensive (particularly since Becky chopped my shallots and onions for me).

*Pics 2, 3, & 4 - Pictures from when I made it

The soup had a really good mouth-feel and was wonderfully creamy. It was a brothy soup, which I liked, but it also felt very hearty due to the rich coconut curry mixture. The noodles also gave it a "weight" and the chicken thighs provided an excellent protein compliment. Truth be told, I felt that other proteins, such as chicken breasts, seafood (such as shrimp or a delicate white fish), beef, or (if you are a veg-head) even tofu would have been equally yummy, so feel free to use your preference!

The taste was, likewise, outstanding. The broth was the star and was packed with flavor, though I would have preferred it to be much spicier. The noodles served as an excellent mechanism to deliver the broth to my mouth, which resulted in plenty of contented slurping. The chicken thighs, cooked in the rich broth, were savory and delicious, as well, perfectly tender. Finally, the garnishes were a key part of this dish and should not be skipped. They imparted terrific flavor variation (especially the lime, cilantro, and red onions) and provided a little "crunch" that contrasted with the soft noodles and chicken.

Potential Improvements? As I already mentioned, this soup definitely needed to be spicier for me. The next time I make it, I will definitely add some crushed red pepper and (if I can find them) some chopped Thai chilis to the pot. I also think using actual chow mein (lightly fried in a pan) or ramen noodles would have been better than the lo mein I had to use. Finally, a major change that I would use with whatever noodle I choose to use... The recipe's first step is to prepare the noodles and set them aside; however, that resulted in my noodles being a little "gummy" when it finally came time to use them. As such, I'll definitely try cooking the noodles as my last prep step, particularly since they only need to cook for a few minutes to be ready to go.

Polling the Fam: I really liked this one and will definitely make it again, using the improvements above. Becky, who is hit-or-miss on Asian soups, liked it and said it was "good." Hunter really liked it and ate two big bowls, although he agreed it needed more heat. Fox said it was "good," and I even caught him going back for the leftovers today, so he must have really liked it.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)