Khao Soi

Method

1. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and cut large thighs in two along the bone. Thinly slice the shallots; rinse the pickled mustard greens once to tame the salt, then chop them finely. Cut the lime into wedges and the cilantro into 3 cm lengths. Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it and spoon off about a quarter, the thick cream on top, into a cup.

2. Make the crispy noodle topping first. Pour the frying oil into a 16 cm small pot and heat it on medium-high heat to 175 °C; without a thermometer, a single noodle should bubble and float up at once. Loosen a small handful of the egg noodles and fry in little nests for 1 min until golden, then lift onto kitchen paper. Shake off any moisture first so the oil doesn't spit, and turn the pot handle inwards. Let the used oil cool completely before you move it.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for frying the noodles) 300 mlFresh egg noodles 36 g

   medium-high heat

3. Heat the paste oil in a 20 cm pot on medium heat and add the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric. Add the reserved coconut cream and fry for 3 min, stirring constantly, until it smells deeply aromatic and red oil separates at the edges. Keep stirring: a scorched base turns the broth bitter.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the paste) 1 tbspRed curry paste 2 tbspCurry powder 1 tspGround turmeric ½ tspCoconut milk (canned) 100 ml

   medium heat

4. Add the chicken and turn it in the paste on medium heat for 3 min, until the outside turns opaque and every piece is coated.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken legs (drumsticks or thighs) 400 g

   medium heat

5. Pour in 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 lower to medium-low heat, half-cover and simmer for 25 min. The chicken is done when the juices run clear at the thickest part and the meat pulls easily from the bone. Taste: add a splash of water if too salty, a little fish sauce if flat.

   Add in this stepChicken stock (or water) 450 mlCoconut milk (canned) 300 mlFish sauce 1½ tbspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 2 tspDark soy sauce 1 tsp

   medium-high heat→medium-low heat

6. While the curry simmers, bring 2 L of water to a rolling boil in another pot on high heat. Loosen the remaining noodles into it and cook for 2 min, then drain, shake well and divide straight into bowls. Cook them at the last minute so they don't go soft.

   Add in this stepFresh egg noodles 204 g

   high heat

7. Set the chicken on the noodles and ladle over plenty of hot curry broth. Pile a handful of crispy noodles on top and serve the shallots, pickled greens, lime, chili oil and cilantro on the side so everyone can add their own. A good squeeze of lime lifts the rich broth.

   Add in this stepPickled mustard greens 60 gShallots 2Lime 1Chili oil 2 tspCilantro to taste