Khao Soi at a glance
- The bowl
- Soft egg noodles in coconut curry, with fried noodles on top.
- On the side
- Lime, shallots and pickled greens are common accompaniments.
- Home recipe
- Chicken, a shop-bought Thai red curry paste and two bowls.
Why Khao Soi uses two noodle textures
Boiled egg noodles give the soup its soft base. The fried noodles sit above the curry and stay crisp until you stir them in. Add them at the table if you want the last few bites to keep their crunch. MICHELIN Guide Thailand and SBS Food describe this combination.
Chicken is a familiar choice, and beef is another northern Thai version. A little lime and sliced shallot brighten the bowl, while pickled mustard greens bring a salty tang. Serve chilli oil separately so each person can choose how much heat to add.
Why Khao Soi is associated with Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is closely associated with the coconut curry bowl. Its story reaches beyond the city. Thai PBS traces influences to Chinese Muslim migrants from Yunnan, and the MICHELIN Guide describes trading routes through what is now Myanmar into northern Thailand.
KRUA.CO’s account includes memories of earlier bowls with a clear broth. The coconut curry served today is one stage in a longer history, which makes it difficult to put the dish down to one inventor or place.
Accounts also differ on the name. The MICHELIN Guide suggests a link to a Burmese word for noodles. KRUA.CO gives a different explanation based on slicing dough into flat noodles.
The name also appears in Luang Prabang, Laos. There it can mean flat rice noodles with a topping of minced pork, tomato and fermented soya beans. Chiang Mai’s coconut curry bowl is a different preparation. In the city, you can find it at stalls such as Khao Soi Khun Yai.
What goes into Khao Soi?
| Ingredient | What it does | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Egg noodles | Boiled noodles give the bowl its soft base. | Flat fresh egg noodles suit the dish. Dried egg noodles can work in the soft portion, cooked as directed. |
| Fried noodles | Give the soup its crisp topping. | The home recipe uses ready-fried noodles. Read the label separately from the soft noodles. |
| Coconut milk | Gives the curry body. | Use unsweetened coconut milk. KRUA.CO uses several strengths of coconut milk in its longer recipe. |
| Curry paste | Brings chilli, spices and aromatics. | Use the red curry paste packet directions for the home shortcut. Check for crustaceans and other allergens. |
| Lime and pickles | Bring acidity to the rich curry. | The SBS recipe uses pickled cabbage. Pickled mustard greens are another accompaniment. |
Compare the paste and noodle methods in the KRUA.CO recipe and the SBS recipe.
Chicken Khao Soi recipe
This home version adapts Chiang Mai chef Phubase Chuprakong’s recipe for SBS Food for two. It uses his suggested red curry paste shortcut and ready-fried noodles for the topping. For a paste made from scratch and instructions for frying the noodles, see the original SBS recipe.
Equipment: A saucepan, frying pan, noodle pot, colander and clean food thermometer. Measurements use a 5 ml teaspoon.
Ingredients for two
- 160 g boneless chicken breast, trimmed
- 300 ml coconut milk
- Thai red curry paste, using the packet’s suggested amount for 300 ml of coconut milk
- A little neutral cooking oil
- 160 g fresh egg noodles, plus a handful of ready-fried noodles
- 5 ml fish sauce and 5 ml soy sauce, or to taste
- 10 ml grated palm sugar, or to taste
- Lime wedges, pickled cabbage, sliced spring onion, coriander and chilli oil to serve
Method
- Bring the coconut milk to a gentle simmer and poach the chicken in it. Check the thickest part with a clean food thermometer. The Food Standards Agency gives 70°C for two minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds as equivalent cooking targets. Lift the chicken out and keep the coconut milk for the curry.
- Warm a little oil in a pan and stir the red curry paste over medium heat until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk used to cook the chicken and bring it back to a boil. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce and palm sugar, tasting as you go.
- Cook the fresh egg noodles as directed on the packet and drain. Divide them between two bowls, add the cooked chicken and ladle over the hot curry.
- Scatter over the spring onion and coriander, then add the fried noodles. Put the lime, pickled cabbage and chilli oil on the table.
Ingredients to check: The egg noodles contain egg and wheat, the fish sauce contains fish and the soy sauce contains soya and may contain wheat. Some curry pastes contain shrimp paste. Read the labels on the paste, fried noodles and other prepared ingredients.
60 questions about Khao Soi
- Name and origins
- Taste, heat and texture
- Ingredients and garnishes
- Shopping and substitutions
- Cooking technique
- Regional and protein variations
- Dietary requests and allergens
- Serving and comparisons
- Troubleshooting
- Storage, nutrition and ordering
Name and origins
1. What is Khao Soi?
The northern Thai version is a coconut curry noodle soup with boiled egg noodles and a topping of crisp fried noodles.
2. How is Khao Soi written in Thai?
ข้าวซอย is the Thai spelling. It is usually written Khao Soi in English.
3. What does Khao Soi Gai mean?
It means chicken Khao Soi. Gai is the Thai word for chicken in the name of the dish.
4. Why do people call it Chiang Mai noodles?
The coconut curry bowl is closely associated with Chiang Mai. The name describes that association without settling where the dish first took shape.
MICHELIN Guide Thailand Thai PBS Cook Culture · Link to question 4
5. Who first made Khao Soi?
The accounts used here trace influences and changes in preparation. They do not establish the name of a single inventor.
6. Has Khao Soi always contained coconut milk?
Thai PBS and KRUA.CO describe earlier clear-broth versions. The coconut milk bowl is the style most closely associated with the name in Chiang Mai today.
Thai PBS Cook Culture KRUA.CO MICHELIN Guide Thailand · Link to question 6
Taste, heat and texture
7. What does Khao Soi taste like?
The coconut broth gives it body, with spice from the curry paste. Lime and pickles bring acidity, and the fried noodles provide a crisp bite.
8. Is the broth spicy?
It can be. Heat varies with the paste and the chilli oil. If you are cooking for several people, serve the chilli oil separately.
9. What makes the broth rich?
Coconut milk gives the curry its body. In the SBS recipe, the same coconut milk poaches the chicken and carries the fried paste.
10. What does lime do in the bowl?
It adds acidity at the table. Start with a squeeze and taste before adding more.
11. Does Khao Soi taste sweet?
Palm sugar rounds out the seasoning in the SBS recipe. The curry also gets savoury depth from fish and soy sauces.
12. Are the two noodle textures made from different noodles?
They can come from the same batch of egg noodles. The SBS recipe boils most of them and fries the rest.
Ingredients and garnishes
13. What goes into Khao Soi paste?
The KRUA.CO recipe pounds dried chillies with toasted coriander seed, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and shallots. Other cooks use different blends.
14. What are the soft noodles made from?
The northern Thai versions here use egg noodles. KRUA.CO specifies flat noodles. Check the packet for the exact ingredients.
15. Which pickles are served with Khao Soi?
Pickled mustard greens are familiar in northern Thai bowls. The SBS recipe uses pickled cabbage.
16. Does it need shallots?
Sliced shallots are a common accompaniment. The restaurant’s menu lists red onion alongside its bowl.
MICHELIN Guide Thailand Charm Thai Cafe · Link to question 16
17. Can coconut cream be part of the recipe?
Yes. KRUA.CO uses coconut milk of different strengths and adds thick coconut cream while the chicken simmers.
18. Why does the home recipe use fish sauce and soy sauce?
The SBS recipe uses both to season the curry. Add them to taste because the paste can already contain salt.
Shopping and substitutions
19. What can I buy for the crisp topping?
Look for ready-fried noodles you would enjoy eating on their own. Check the label for ingredients and allergen warnings.
20. Can I use Thai red curry paste?
Yes. Chef Phubase Chuprakong lists it as a shortcut for his paste in the SBS recipe. The flavour will vary with the product.
21. How much shop-bought paste should I use?
Use the packet’s recommendation for the amount of coconut milk you are cooking with. Begin at the lower end if the label gives a range.
22. Can dried noodles replace fresh ones?
Use dried egg noodles for the soft portion if that is what you have. Follow their packet directions and drain well before adding the curry.
23. What can I use if I cannot find pickled mustard greens?
Serve pickled cabbage, as in the SBS recipe, for acidity alongside the rich broth.
24. Where can I find a from-scratch paste method?
The KRUA.CO chicken recipe gives a separate paste formulation with toasted aromatics. The original SBS recipe gives another.
Cooking technique
25. Can I use one pan for the whole recipe?
Use a saucepan for the curry and a separate pan of water for the noodles. Cooking the noodles separately keeps their cooking water out of the curry.
26. Why simmer the chicken gently?
A gentle poach cooks the breast in the coconut milk used later for the sauce. Use a clean thermometer to check the thickest part.
27. How do I know the chicken is cooked safely?
Check the centre of the thickest piece with a clean thermometer. UK guidance gives 70°C for two minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds as equivalent targets.
28. When do I fry the paste?
Fry it after lifting the poached chicken from the coconut milk. Stir over medium heat until fragrant, then add the reserved coconut milk.
29. When should I add fish sauce and palm sugar?
After adding the coconut milk back to the fried paste. Taste the curry as you add them so the seasoning stays balanced.
30. How do I assemble the bowl?
Drain the cooked noodles, portion them into bowls and add the hot curry and chicken. Finish with herbs and fried noodles just before serving.
Regional and protein variations
31. Is chicken the usual choice in northern Thailand?
Chicken is a familiar choice for the coconut curry bowl, and beef is another version documented by the MICHELIN Guide.
32. Can I use chicken drumsticks?
Yes. The KRUA.CO recipe uses drumsticks and simmers them until tender. Follow that method rather than the breast timing from a different recipe.
33. Is every Khao Soi paste the same?
No. KRUA.CO uses toasted coriander seed in its paste, while the SBS recipe uses coriander root. Each uses its own spice and aromatic proportions.
34. What is Chin Haw Khao Soi?
The term links the dish with the Chinese Muslim communities discussed in the Thai PBS and KRUA.CO accounts. Those accounts include bowls that differ from today’s coconut version.
35. Did the earlier clear-broth bowls use the same toppings?
KRUA.CO records versions served with pickled greens and shallots alongside. Details differ by cook and period.
36. Does Charm Thai Cafe serve pork Khao Soi?
Pork is among the choices listed for the Doncaster bowl. See the current restaurant page for the complete list and ordering details.
Dietary requests and allergens
37. Is the home recipe gluten-free?
It uses wheat-based egg noodles. Soy sauce and prepared toppings also need checking. Changing the soft noodles alone is insufficient.
38. Does choosing tofu make the restaurant bowl vegan?
Ask us to check the noodles, sauce, toppings and preparation before ordering. Tofu alone only tells you which option was selected.
39. Which ingredients in the home recipe contain egg or fish?
The soft egg noodles contain egg and the fish sauce contains fish. Check the ready-fried topping separately for egg and other allergens.
40. Can Thai red curry paste contain crustaceans?
Some products use shrimp paste. Check the specific packet for crustaceans if you need to avoid them.
41. Should I check the pickles for mustard?
Yes. Pickled mustard greens and other prepared pickles need a product-specific label check if you have a mustard allergy.
MICHELIN Guide Thailand Food Standards Agency · Link to question 41
42. What should I do if I have a food allergy and want to order?
Tell the team before ordering so they can check ingredients and preparation for the whole bowl. The kitchen is shared.
Serving and comparisons
43. Is Khao Soi the same as curry laksa?
They are distinct dishes. SBS identifies the boiled egg noodles and crisp noodle garnish as useful clues to the northern Thai bowl.
44. Is it served with rice at Charm Thai Cafe?
The listed meal is a curry noodle bowl. Jasmine rice comes with the classic curries on the menu.
45. Which toppings go on the bowl and which go alongside?
In the SBS recipe the fried noodles, spring onion and coriander go on top. Lime, chilli oil and pickled cabbage are served separately.
46. What does the restaurant put on its Khao Soi?
The menu lists crispy noodles, with lime and red onion alongside the curry noodles.
47. How does Khao Soi differ from Pad Thai?
This Khao Soi is a coconut curry noodle soup. Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle dish. The Thai noodle guide compares the different styles.
MICHELIN Guide Thailand Charm Thai Cafe · Link to question 47
48. Is it meant to be a starter or a meal?
Chicken, noodles and curry come together in one bowl. The home recipe here is scaled for two bowls.
Troubleshooting
49. Why has the topping lost its crunch?
Fried noodles soften in the broth. Add them just before eating or set the topping on the table for everyone to add their own.
50. Why does the curry taste watered down?
Drain the boiled noodles before putting them into the bowls so that noodle cooking water stays out of the sauce.
51. What can I do if the paste catches in the pan?
Use medium heat and stir as it fries. If it has burnt and tastes bitter, start that step again with a clean pan.
52. What if the curry is already salty?
Hold back the fish and soy sauces until you have tasted the paste and coconut milk together. Add the seasonings in small amounts.
53. Why do the soft noodles clump as they wait?
Portion them into bowls as soon as they drain. In the longer KRUA.CO recipe, the cook tosses them in a little fried garlic oil before adding the curry.
54. Can I assemble the bowls in advance?
Keep the curry, noodles and toppings separate until serving. That makes it easier to keep the fried noodles crisp and the soft noodles well drained.
Storage, nutrition and ordering
55. How should I cool leftover Khao Soi?
Cool it promptly, cover it and refrigerate or freeze it within one to two hours. Keep the fried topping separate.
56. How long can I keep leftovers in the fridge?
UK guidance advises eating refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours. Freeze them promptly if you will need longer.
57. Can I freeze the curry?
Freeze the cooled curry on its own and cook fresh noodles when you serve it. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of fully defrosting.
58. How should I reheat a portion?
Reheat once and make sure it is steaming hot throughout. Add a fresh crisp topping after reheating.
59. How many calories are in a bowl?
That depends on the portion, coconut milk, protein and fried topping. A useful figure needs measured ingredients and an actual serving size.
60. Where can I check prices or order in Doncaster?
Use the Khao Soi in Doncaster page for choices and ordering details, or open the curry tab of the restaurant menu.
Thai words on a Khao Soi menu
- ข้าวซอย (khao soi)
- The name of the dish.
- ข้าวซอยไก่ (khao soi gai)
- Chicken Khao Soi.
- บะหมี่ (bami)
- Egg noodles in the recipes discussed here.
- กะทิ (kathi)
- Coconut milk.
Roman spellings are approximate. See the Thai-language recipe for these terms in use.
Khao Soi at Charm Thai Cafe
Our bowl comes with curry noodles, a crispy noodle topping, lime and red onion. See Khao Soi in Doncaster for choices, prices and ordering details. If you have an allergy or dietary requirement, speak to us before ordering so we can check the whole bowl.
For more dishes, see our Thai food and flavour guide.
Sources
- MICHELIN Guide Thailand: A guide to Thai noodles
- Thai PBS Cook Culture: The history of Khao Soi (in Thai)
- KRUA.CO: Khao Soi and Chin Haw cooking (in Thai)
- SBS Food: Phubase Chuprakong’s Khao Soi
- Food Standards Agency: Cooking your food
- KRUA.CO: Sangdad Publishing’s Chicken Khao Soi (in Thai)
- Food Standards Agency: Student guide to food safety and hygiene
- Food Standards Agency: Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers
- Charm Thai Cafe: Thai noodle dishes
- Travelfish: Noodle soups in Luang Prabang
- Aroy Mak Mak: Khao Soi Khun Yai in Chiang Mai