Khao Soi

Naming things is tricky. Once you assign a value or a set of characteristics to something, there’s a lot of pressure applied. You-re making a pie for your friends- but maybe, somewhere along the way, it turns into a cake. Now, they are probably not going to be upset about cake, but it’s not the pie you promised them. I wanted to make khao soi- which is very easy to do at home. I make it all the time. Scaling up to the volume that we needed to do was tricky, and while it looks a bit different than what I’m used to, it still knocked our socks off. I feel like I’m always saying “enter your dinner with an open mind” because expectations are always intimidating to me. The only expectation you should have is “this meal is going to be delicious”. We can definitely hit that one. So whether it’s your first time trying khao soi, or you’re a seasoned vet, here’s hoping you enjoy what we’ve made for you tonight 🙂 Get in there!

For the khao soi + noodles:

I chose my favorite noodles for tonight, because they cook fast, and are perfect for this kind of sauce. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and drop your noodles in and stir them up. Cook for 2 ½ minutes, then strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drop them right into a serving bowl, and toss with a little oil or butter so they don’t stick too much.

While you’re waiting for your water to boil, warm the khao soi curry in a separate pot. Start with a couple splashes of water (the sauce is quite thick, so you’ll need to thin it out), and once it’s simmering, add the curry. Stir, over medium heat, until the sauce is nice and hot. Add a bit more water if necessary, but it should be pretty thick! Once it’s hot and the consistency makes you happy, scoop it over your noodles and mix em up 🙂

For the garnishes:

This is my favorite part. Add a pinch of the pickled mustards (they’re strong!), crispy noodles and shallots, and finally, a squeeze of lime.

For the cucumber salad:

Cool, crispy, and packed with flavor- this will wash down the curry quite nicely. Enjoy this on the side, or as an addition to your noodles! Don’t forget to top the salad (or your noodles!) with plenty of roasted peanuts.

If you got an eggplant + wild rice bowl:

This has got to be one of my favorite bowls. Locally grown hydroponic tomatoes are actually quite delicious- nothing compared to the perfect goodies we get from Ray, but still good. With wild rice, tahini roasted eggplant, and that sumac dressing.. Hearty, rich, and delicious. Enjoy this cold, just mix in the dressing and dive on in!