How to Make Khao Suey

There aren’t many things as good for the soul as a big bowl of chicken noodle soup. And if you want to feel like you’ve received manna, then you can’t beat a bowl of Burmese chicken noodle soup – or khao suey.

Khao suey is a delectable spicy coconut milk broth made with boneless chicken (although you could use lamb if you want) and accompanied with a multitude of toppings. The toppings are the best part of the meal, because you can fix the soup according to your taste.

Khao suey is very popular in Kolkata. Every home has its own version, with the basics remaining the same. Usually what differs is the amount and type of accompaniments and the thickness of the soup or the amount of coconut milk used.

But why is a Burmese noodle soup so common in Kolkata? Myanmar is of course in close proximity to eastern India, and the story goes that many Indians who shifted back from the country during World War II brought it with them.

My maternal grandmother also lived in Myanmar, and we follow her recipe religiously.

I remember eating khao suey at my home and also at the homes of various friends in Kolkata as far back as 30 years. But it’s only in the last eight years or so that it seems to have started appearing in menus in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

As we say, what Bengal does today, the rest of India does many decades later. So on that parochial note, here’s my family recipe for khao suey.  I don’t know how authentic it is, but I do know that my friends and family lick the bowl clean every time. So if you stick to the recipe you shouldn’t fare too badly.

All the measurements are approximations. Tweak the ingredients to your taste. If you’d like it less spicy, leave out the chili powder. And if you’d like it thicker, increase the quantity of coconut milk. Or do it the traditional way by adding two tablespoons of besan or gram flour, or ground chana dal.

Recipe:

One packet of egg noodles (egg noodles tend to soak up the soup best, but you can use normal rice noodles as well)

• 2 tbsps garlic paste
• 2 tbsps ginger paste
• 2 onions (paste)
• 2 tomatoes (skinned and pureed)
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 500 ml coconut milk
• 250 gms boneless chicken or lamb chopped into small pieces around 1 inch in length and thickness
• 1 tsp freshly ground garam masala (equal portions cinnamon, cardamom and clove)
• Salt to taste

For vegetarians: replace the chicken with chopped mushrooms, brinjals and cottage cheese or paneer

Accompaniments (the best part of the soup):

• 1 small bowl chopped spring onions
• 1 small bowl lemon wedges
• 1 small bowl chili flakes
• 1 small bowl roasted garlic
• 1 small bowl crisply fried baby prawns
• 1 small bowl sliced boiled egg
• 1 small bowl chopped coriander
• 1 small bowl chopped green chilis

Recipe:

• Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a pan. Add the onion and ginger and garlic pastes. Sauté till they change colour.
• Add the chili powder. Keep sautéing.
• Then add the chicken/lamb pieces.
• If making the vegetarian version, add the vegetables now.
• Keep sautéing until the chicken changes colour and is coated with the pastes. Then add the tomato puree and salt to taste. Sauté until the tomato puree is cooked through.
• Then pour in the coconut milk, bring to a boil once and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the garam masala powder at the end and salt to taste, stir and take off the flame.
• In the meantime, boil the noodles.

To serve: 

Each person should have a large soup bowl, in which they take one serving of noodles. Top it with as much soup as they want and the accompaniments of their choice. The lime should be squeezed on the individual soup servings.

We usually serve this at home with spring rolls and steamed momos.

If you can’t be bothered to make it at home and you’re in Kolkata, just get yourself invited to another Kolkatan’s house.

If you’re in Gurgaon, you could go to Khaaja Chowk, 3rd Floor, Plaza Mall, MG Road, Gurgaon. (Phone :0124 401 9112)

Or try the seafood khao suey at The Kitchen in Khan Market (9910879696,  41757960, 41757961).