Northern Chicken Curry Noodle - Hong's Kao Soi

Hong is one of my sister's best friends. This aspiring cooking show host came to my kitchen to teach us how to make the traditional Thai soupe from her village. It was a blast! In true cooking show fashion she and I cooked up large quantities of soupe all afternoon. Then when the guests arrived she demonstrated how to make the recipe from scratch. Then we pulled out the reserves to serve everyone the delicious soup.

Since then Hong has opened her own restaurant in New York City. Her site is incredible, and her food EVEN BETTER! Check it out. Click. click. click.

Traditional Kao Soi
6 legs and thighs of chicken bones and all *if you want the right flavor, you've got to cook it on the bone!
2 tbsp (càs)oil
3 cups (800ml) coconut milk
4-5 tbsp (càs)Thai red curry paste
1 tsp (càc)curry powder
½ tsp (càc)turmeric powder
1 cardamom, crushed
10 thai basil leaves
1 ½ cups of water
1 onion
a pinch of sugar
2 tbsp (càs) fish sauce *to taste

GARNISH
6-7 cups (250g) of Chinese Bah-mi egg noodle (I just use the local brand)
3-4 cups oil for frying
4 shallots
3 limes
fried dried chillies
a handful of cilantro, chopped

Into a large thick bottom pot fry the chicken thighs in the oil. Once they're seared and golden on the outside add the coconut milk, spices, water and everything in the first list through the fish sauce. Simmer.

Fry one cup of dry noodles until they're golden don't let them get brown.
Remove the noodles from the oil and fry a few dried peppers.

Slice the shallots very fine. Cut the limes into wedges, make sure you have enough for all your guests. Chop the cilantro. Set aside in individual bowls for easy garnishing.

Confirm that your chicken is cooked all the way through.

Bring water to a boil. Drop in the rest of the egg noodles and allow them to boil for 2-3 minutes!

SERVE
Serve cooked noodles in a bowl, pour chicken soup over the noodles, garnish with veggies, spices and fried noodles with a lime wedge on the side of the bowl. Have each guest squeeze the lime into the soup just before taking the first bite. Yum! Thais traditionally eat this soup with a fork and a very large spoon and not chopsticks as you may think. ;)