Khao Soi Gai

Ingredients

• 4 chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs, bone in
• 500g fresh egg noodles
• 800ml coconut milk
• 300ml chicken stock
• 70g khao soi or red curry paste
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 500ml neutral oil, for frying
• 80g Chinese pickled mustard greens, rinsed and sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• Chilli oil, to serve

Before you cook

• Set aside 100g of the egg noodles for frying and shake them loose so no strands are stuck together
• Rinse the pickled mustard greens under cold water for a minute, squeeze them dry and slice them thinly
• Slice the shallots as thinly as you can and drop them into cold water
• Cut the limes into wedges and chop the coriander
• Spoon 150ml of the thick coconut cream from the top of the tins into a bowl

Steps

1. Heat the frying oil in a small deep pan to 180C.
2. Fry the reserved 100g of noodles in two batches for about forty seconds each, until they puff and turn pale gold, then lift them onto kitchen paper.
3. Pour the thick coconut cream into a large pot over medium heat and simmer it for five minutes until the oil separates.
4. Add the curry paste, turmeric and curry powder and fry for three minutes until the mixture is fragrant and darkened.
5. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until they are completely coated in the paste.
6. Pour in the remaining coconut milk and the chicken stock.
7. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for thirty minutes, turning the chicken once halfway.
8. Season the broth with the fish sauce, palm sugar and dark soy sauce, then taste and adjust the salt.
9. Bring a separate pot of water to the boil and cook the remaining egg noodles for two minutes, then drain them well.
10. Divide the boiled noodles between four deep bowls.
11. Ladle the curry and chicken over the noodles, giving each bowl a good amount of broth.
12. Top each bowl with a tangle of the crisp fried noodles, then add pickled greens, drained shallot slices and coriander.
13. Serve with lime wedges and chilli oil so each person can sharpen their own bowl.