Nan Gyi Thoke

Ingredients

• 600g boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 5 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp mild chilli powder
• 200ml coconut milk
• 300ml chicken stock
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan), plus 2 tbsp for dusting
• 500g thick round rice noodles (nan gyi), or thick udon-style rice noodles
• 3 eggs
• 4 tbsp crispy fried shallots
• 1 small onion, very thinly sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 1 handful coriander, chopped
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
• 3 tbsp roasted chickpea powder or crushed roasted peanuts

Before you cook

• Blend the chopped onions, garlic and ginger with 3 tablespoons of water into a smooth paste.
• Cut the chicken into pieces about 2cm across.
• Whisk 3 tablespoons of chickpea flour into 120ml of cold water until smooth.
• Slice the small onion paper-thin and soak it in cold water for 10 minutes.

Steps

1. Heat the peanut oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat.
2. Add the blended onion paste and fry for 12 minutes until deep gold and the oil begins to separate.
3. Stir in the turmeric and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken and turn it through the paste for 5 minutes.
5. Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for 12 minutes until the chicken is tender.
6. Add the coconut milk and the fish sauce and bring it back to a gentle simmer.
7. Whisk the chickpea slurry again and stir it in, then cook for 5 minutes until the curry is thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.
8. Take the pan off the heat and taste, adding more fish sauce if it needs salt.
9. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes in a separate pan, then cool them under cold water, peel and quarter them.
10. Cook the rice noodles in boiling water until just tender, about 4 minutes, then drain and rinse under warm water.
11. Put the warm noodles in a large mixing bowl and spoon over about two thirds of the curry.
12. Toss the noodles firmly with tongs for a minute until each one is coated and glossy.
13. Divide the noodles between four bowls and spoon the remaining curry on top.
14. Finish with egg quarters, drained sliced onion, spring onion, coriander, fried shallots, chickpea powder and chilli flakes.
15. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over at the table.