Chiang Mai Khao Soi with Hand-Made Paste

Method

1. Snip the dried chilies open, shake out the seeds and soak them in hot water for 15 min. Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds, cumin and black cardamom in a dry pan on medium-low heat for 2 min, shaking, until fragrant and a shade darker. Crack the cardamom and keep only the seeds, then grind all the toasted spices finely in a mortar or spice grinder.

   Add in this stepCoriander seeds 1½ tspCumin seeds ¾ tspBlack cardamom pods 1Large dried red chilies 7

   medium-low heat

2. Put the peeled shallots, garlic and sliced ginger in a dry pan on medium-high heat for 5 min, turning, until blackened in patches; that charred note is the soul of a northern paste. Blend or pound them with the squeezed chilies, turmeric, curry powder, ground spices, salt and 1–2 tbsp water to a smooth paste.

   Add in this stepShallots (for the paste) 3Garlic cloves 5Fresh ginger 15 gGround turmeric 1 tspCurry powder 1 tspSalt 1 pinch

   medium-high heat

3. Dry the chicken skin thoroughly. Heat half the oil in a 24 cm pot on medium-high heat and sear the legs skin-side down first, turning, for 7 min until the skin is golden and crisp, then lift them out. Use the lid as a splatter shield; they don't need to be cooked through yet.

   Add in this stepWhole chicken legs (thigh + drumstick, about 250 g each) 2Vegetable oil 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

4. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the chicken fat. Add the remaining oil, the paste and the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk and fry on medium heat for 5 min, stirring, until the moisture has cooked off and red oil glistens and separates. Scrape up the browned bits from the base as you go; they deepen the broth.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspCoconut milk (canned) 132 ml

   medium heat

5. Return the chicken and add the stock, the rest of the coconut milk, the fish sauce, palm sugar and dark soy. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then drop to low heat, half-cover and braise for 35 min, until the meat slides off the bone and the thickest part reads at least 80 °C. Don't skim off all the red oil: it is part of khao soi's charm.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 450 mlCoconut milk (canned) 308 mlFish sauce 1½ tbspPalm sugar 2 tspDark soy sauce 1 tsp

   medium-high heat→low heat

6. Heat the frying oil to 175 °C in a 16 cm small pot on medium-high heat and fry a portion of the noodles in small nests for 1 min until golden; drain. Turn off the heat, wait 1 minute, then carefully spoon 3–4 tbsp of the hot oil over the chili flakes in a heatproof bowl for an instant chili oil. It should sizzle and turn red; if the oil is smoking, let it cool a little more or the chili will burn.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for frying) 300 mlFresh egg noodles 52 gCoarse chili flakes 2 tsp

   medium-high heat

7. Bring 2 L of water to a rolling boil on high heat, cook the remaining noodles for 2 min, shake dry and divide into warmed bowls.

   Add in this stepFresh egg noodles 208 g

   high heat

8. Sit a whole chicken leg on each bowl of noodles and ladle over the broth. Pile the crispy noodles high and drizzle with the fresh chili oil. Serve with the pickled greens, shallots, lime and cilantro.

   Add in this stepPickled mustard greens 60 gShallots (to serve) 2Lime 1Cilantro to taste