Recipe

Asia → 🇹🇭 Thailand → Chiang Mai (North)
Khao Soi
Thai (Northern) · medium · serves 3
prep 20 min · cook 30 min
~994 cal · 43g protein · 23g carbs · 85g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Golden curry noodles topped with crispy noodles and lime
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai (North)
Khao soi came down the old caravan routes with Yunnanese traders and became Chiang Mai’s signature bowl — half soup, half curry, all texture. The pickled mustard greens and shallots on the side aren’t garnish; they’re the counterweight.
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Ingredients
Serves 3 —
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3 chicken legs
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1 lb fresh egg noodles (some for frying)
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3 tbsp red curry paste
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1 tbsp curry powder
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1 tsp turmeric
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2 cans (28 oz) coconut milk
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2 tbsp fish sauce
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1 tbsp palm sugar
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the full sides plate pickled mustard greens + shallots + lime + chili oil, to serve
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1 cup neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
1
Fry a handful of noodles in hot oil until puffed and golden — the crown. Drain.
2
Fry the curry paste, curry powder, and turmeric in thick coconut cream until the oil splits red-gold.
3
Add the chicken (or tofu and mushrooms), remaining coconut milk, and a cup of water; simmer 25 minutes (10 for plant).
4
Season with fish sauce and palm sugar — it should lead rich, finish faintly sweet.
5
Boil the noodles, bowl them, ladle the curry over, and crown with crispy noodles. Sides on the table: pickled greens, raw shallot, lime, chili oil.
Chiang Mai caravan-route tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Chiang Mai (North). The northern capital of coconut curry noodles.
🗺️
Thailand. The balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in every bite.
🌍
Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩‍🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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