This curry is very easy to make. The curry powder and the lemongrass do the work for you, really. They make the curry wonderfully aromatic and tasty. A lot of Vietnamese curries have finely minced lemongrass in them. Sometimes lemongrass can be fibrous, so I prefer to leave it whole in the curry, and then fish it out before serving. Just make sure you give the lemongrass stalk a good smash, to break it open and release all its flavors.
 Vietnamese curry powder is easily available at Asian markets. Fubonn, the Asian store I frequent, has several brands of Vietnamese curry powder, and I’m spoiled for choice! Pick a Vietnamese “Madras” curry powder (Ca Ri Ni An Do) and you can’t go wrong.

You can also order Vietnamese curry powder online.

Vietnamese Potato and Green Bean Curry

Serves about 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lemon grass stalk
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Vietnamese curry powder (Ca Ri Ni An Do or Madras Curry Powder). Available at Asian markets or online.
12 oz yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 oz green beans (about 1 heaping cup when chopped). Substitute with 1 heaping cup of broccoli florets
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook on medium heat till slightly browned. While the onion is cooking, prepare the lemongrass – slice off the top and bottom of the lemongrass stalk, cut it into 2 pieces, and using a mallet, smash the two lemongrass sticks in order to release flavor. Set aside.
2. When the onion is golden brown, add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
3. Add the smashed lemongrass and curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Throw in the chopped potatoes, salt, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer covered till the potatoes are cooked but still holding their shape.
5. Now add the beans or broccoli, coconut milk and sugar. Cook on medium heat till the beans/broccoli are tender. If the curry is too thick, add up to 1 cup water.
7. Fish out and discard the lemongrass pieces before serving.
6. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice, noodles or baguette.

Baby potatoes + butter + curry powder = YUM, right?! Heres whats even better – this recipe is my guest post for the incredibly talented Prerna of Indian Simmer blog! Go over to her blog to see my recipe for these butter roasted masala potatoes. And make sure you hang around there and check out her mouth watering Indian recipes and gorgeous photography.

Prerna is a good friend, and I can tell you from first hand experience that her food is drool worthy! I still think of the rajma and paneer she fed me several months ago! For even more delicousness from Prerna, check out her brand new book, The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook

If you read my previous post on my homemade curry powder recipe, you are already anticipating this post! This is a pumpkin and spinach curry recipe using my home made curry powder. The curry powder takes just 12 minutes to make and there is nothing like freshly roasted and ground spices in your curry!

The curry powder is a really simple recipe using just coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, dried chili and turmeric. But heres a great trick to get two layers of flavor from this simple curry powder – add most the curry powder to the pumpkin and cook it till the pumpkin is done – this will give the spices a mellow, rounded flavor. Then, add a little more curry powder right at the end of cooking; this will add another layer of fresh spice taste.

Any yellow flesh winter squash will work with this recipe. Today I’ve used pie pumpkin. But I often make this recipe with butternut squash, which my husband and I both love.  You can also use potato or sweet potato, or mixed vegetables.

Making this easy vegan curry during the holidays? Sprinkle some dried cranberries over the curry when its done for added sweetness and a festive look.

How to to peel a winter squash like butternut, kabocha or a pumpkin

1. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the squash or pumpkin in half.
2. Then using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and thready bits from the cavity.
3. Lay the squash or pumpkin cut side down. Using one hand to hold it down and stabilize it, take a sharp, preferably serrated knife, and carefully slice off the skin.
4. Then cube the squash.

Pumpkin  and Spinach Curry Recipe

Serves about 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional
¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
6 Curry leaves, optional
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 recipe homemade curry powder (5 tablespoons), see this post for recipe
4 cups peeled and cubed (1 ½ inch cubes) pie pumpkin or butternut squash or kabocha squash. See post above on how to peel squash.
2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk (about half a 14oz can)
3 cups tightly packed baby spinach

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add mustard seeds if using. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir till fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add onions and cook till they are light brown
3. Then throw in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or till fragrant.
4. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of curry powder, stir, then add the peeled, cubed squash or pumpkin and salt.
5. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a lively simmer, cover the pot and let the squash or pumpkin cook till it is fork tender, about 20 minutes.  If the water is drying up before the pumpkin is done, add more water, half cup at a time. If there is too much water in the pot, boil it uncovered, till there is only about 3/4 cup water remaining.
6. When the squash/pumpkin is cooked, add the coconut milk and remaining 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Stir and bring back to a boil.
7. When the curry boils, add the spinach and cook just till the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
8. Optional – for added sweetness, garnish the curry with some dried cranberries, or stir in up to one teaspoon of sugar.
9. Serve hot with rice, roti, bread or quinoa.

Curry powder doesn’t have to be complicated to make at home. This one has just 5 ingredients and tastes fabulous in coconut milk based curries. Coriander seeds, cumin and fennel are the basic flavors in this curry powder. Dried red chilies add heat and turmeric gives it color. All you do it toast everything in a pan and then grind. Very easy to make at home!

Look at any store bought curry powder, and you’ll see that coriander is one of the main ingredients. It adds an earthiness, and an unmistakable Indian flavor to curry powder. The cumin in this recipe adds a toasty, smokiness. And fennel seeds brighten up the curry powder.

The ratio of coriander:cumin:fennel is 2:1:1. In other words, if you use 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, you will need 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds.

Homemade Curry Powder Recipe

Yields about 5 tablespoons

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 or more dried red chilies, broken up into small pieces.
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Method

1. Place coriander, cumin, fennel seeds and broken up red chilies (discard stems) in a medium pan. Use a pan large enough so that the spices are spread in a thin layer.
2. Toast the spices on medium-low  heat, shaking the pan often, till the spices turn color and get fragrant,  about 12 minutes.
3. Cool the roasted spices. Then using a spice grinder, grind into a fine powder. Add in the turmeric and blend once more till everything is combined.
4. Store in an airtight container for 2 months

Basic Curry Recipe Using Homemade Curry Powder

Serves about 4

Ingredients
Choose 2-3 of the following: 1 medium onion diced, 4 cloves of garlic minced, 1 large tomato diced, 2 teaspoons minced ginger.
1 recipe curry powder (5 tablespoons), see above for recipe
4-5 cups vegetables (Zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, spinach, potato, sweet potato, winter squash etc)
1-2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk

Method
Sauté your choice of onion/garlic/ginger/tomato in oil. Add the curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.

Add vegetables, salt and water and cook till vegetables are tender. (Keep in mind that different vegetables cook in different times, so you will have to add the quicker cooking vegetables later).

Stir in coconut milk, bring back to a boil. Turn off heat as soon as the curry boils.

Serve hot with rice, quinoa, roti or bread.

This is a basic formula; vary the recipe to your liking.

For a pumpkin and spinach curry recipe using this curry powder, see this post.

I love Singapore rice noodles – pan fried thin rice vermicelli with curry powder and turmeric. But most the ones you get at restaurants have fish sauce and or meat. So I make my own vegetarian Singapore rice noodles. Funnily, this dish is not Singaporean –  you won’t find it in Singapore. It is most likely an invention of Hong Kong chefs. Irrespective of its origins, this is a great vegetarian noodle dish!

I use S&B Oriental Curry powder for this recipe. For more about curry powders, read this post.

And the mushroom flavored soy sauce I use is Healthy Boy brand. If you cant find it, substitute with regular soy sauce.

Tips for perfect Singapore rice noodles

• Don’t over soak the noodles. Read package instructions and make sure the noodles aren’t sitting in water longer than needed. Drain the noodles well. If you land up over-soaking the noodles, try to rescue them by spreading the drained noodles on a large platter and placing them under a fan, this should dry them out a bit.
• Don’t over cook the vegetables, they will get soggy.
• Use medium-high heat, this will ensure that the vegetables and noodles don’t get soggy.
• Work quickly. Have all the ingredients prepped before hand, and then work quickly. Don’t let the vegetables or the noodles sit in the wok for too long. When you add the noodles and sauce to the wok, if you feel you are taking too long (over 2 minutes) to mix everything well, take the wok off the heat, and mix the noodles. You can then re-heat the noodles before serving.
• Remember that every curry powder is different. Some are spicier/hotter than others. You may have to use more or less depending on the curry powder you use. Taste the noodles at the end, and add more curry powder and soy sauce if needed, then re-heat.
• The taste of Singapore rice noodles develops over time (because of the curry powder), so it tastes even better the next day!

Singapore Rice Noodles Recipe

serves about 4

Ingredients
6 oz rice sticks, also called rice vermicelli or rice noodles
For the sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder, I recommend S&B Oriental curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
Crushed dry red pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional
½ teaspoon vinegar, optional
1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce (available in Asian markets), substitute with soy sauce

For the noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 heaping teaspoon garlic paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane)
1 heaping teaspoon ginger paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane), optional
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup cubed fried tofu, available in Asian markets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 heaping cup beansprouts
3 scallions, chopped
4 lemon or lime wedges
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. Soak the rice noodles according to package instructions. (This usually involves soaking them in warm or cold water for 2-5 minutes).Drain well and set aside in the colander.
2. Whisk together all ingredients for sauce, along with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large wok, that is atleast 12 inches wide. Add the ginger and garlic and let them sizzle on medium heat, till fragrant and lightly browned.
4. Pour in half of the sauce. Work quickly, and mix everything together, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Cook till the sauce starts to bubble, about 20 seconds.
5. Throw in red peppers, carrot, cabbage, and tofu.
6. Crank up the heat to medium-high and sauté till the vegetables just start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Don’t over cook the vegetables.
7. Add the soaked, drained rice stick noodles to the vegetables. Also add the remaining sauce. Working quickly, and using two spoons or tongs, toss and combine everything till the noodles are well coated in the sauce.
8. Turn off heat and add sesame oil, bean sprouts and scallions. Toss well.
9. Serve immediately garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon or lime wedges on the side to squeeze over the noodles.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s the best curry powder brand, look no further! I’ve taste tested a bunch of curry powders and present to you my favorites and how to use each one of them. This also kicks off my curry series – a month of easy curry recipe posts using, of course, curry powders! I will post one recipe a week for a curry from around the world, and also post a recipe for how to make your own curry powder.

But first, let me make something clear. There is no such thing as curry powder. Not in India at least. The first time I ever heard of a curry powder was outside India! In my own language, Tamil, the word “Kari” simply means either vegetables (“kai kari”) or meat.

Every Indian dish that requires powdered spices uses a blend that is unique to that dish. So there is no standard curry powder in India. (Just like how there is no standard curry in India). An Indian cook will roast and powder whole spices for each dish, specifically for that dish. A cook in India may also use a combination of different already ground spices.

So what exactly is curry powder? It’s a western, British invention. It is a blend of different powdered spices like turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin, fennel, cinnamon etc.  Instead of the various spice powders used in Indian cooking, you can use an already blended curry powder.

As inauthentic as curry powder is, I like its convenience. There are some great blends out there, and are usually the only ‘spice’ you need when making a dish. So curry powders are an easy shortcut and I like using them. They are especially handy for making quick dishes with great curry flavor. 

The Best Curry Powders

(in my opinion)

Note: This curry powder taste test is by no means exhaustive. I know there are many brands in the market that I haven’t tried. And I haven’t even addressed Thai and other curry powders/pastes/blends etc. I will reserve them for a future post.

Frontier Indian Curry Powder

Predominant flavors are roasted cumin and lemon peel. Light, and fresh tasting.
Available in some grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Light curries
-          Summer vegetables
-          Salad dressing

Recipes – Zucchini cauliflower curry , Curried tofu salad with Jicama

S&B Oriental Curry Powder

A mild, well balanced, well rounded blend.

Predominant flavors are turmeric, coriander, garlic.
Available in most grocery stores, Asian markets and online
Use in
-          Japanese curries
-          Tofu dishes
-          Recipes involving fruit and or a little sweetness

Recipes- Tofu and broccoli curry, Khao soi curry noodles

Penzey’s Hot Curry Powder

Spicy, with predominant chili and coriander flavor
Available at Penzey’s stores and online
Use in
-          Coconut milk based curries
-          Lentils, beans
-          Paneer or tofu

Recipes- Curried kale and white bean patties, Chickpea bunny chow

McCormick Gourmet Collection Curry Powder

Savory taste, with predominating onion flavor.
Available in grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Roasted vegetables
-          Pasta dishes
-          Root vegetable dishes

Recipes- Potato curry

Kitchen King by Badshah

Spicy, intense and complex. This blend is also made by MDH and Everest brands.
Available in Indian grocery stores and online
Use in
-          Rich sauces and gravies
-          Nut and cream based curries
-          Lentils

Recipes- Masala stuffed okra (use instead of the masala in the recipe)

My husband loves this easy zucchini and cauliflower curry and requests it at least once a week. I will vary the vegetables depending on what’s available and what we are in the mood for. I’ve made this curry with eggplant, green beans and potatoes. I’ve made it with pumpkin and kale. I’ve also made it with cubed paneer,  green peppers and baby corn. This recipe is versatile!

A make ahead tip: Because I make this curry so often (did I mention we love it?!), I’ve started making the curry sauce in bulk and freezing it. It’s easy. Once you are done with step 5 in the recipe below, just spoon the curry sauce into ice cube trays and freeze it. When solid, put the frozen curry cubes in freezer bags and return to the freezer.

You now have a delicious vegetarian, vegan curry base sitting in your freezer to pull out anytime and heat up along with vegetables of your choice!

I prefer the taste and convenience of canned tomatoes for this recipe. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, core them, and puree them in a blender. You will need 3 cups freshly pureed tomatoes + about 1 cup water. If the fresh tomatoes make a tart curry, you will want to add a little sugar at the end of cooking.

My favorite tomatoes to use for this curry:
-          Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
-          San Marzano crushed tomatoes
-          Del Monte diced tomates with basil, garlic and oregano

And the curry powder I used is Frontier Indian curry powder from Whole Foods, which is mild, very fragrant, tasty and has a hint of lemon peel. If you use a stronger curry powder, you may want to use less.

Easy Zucchini and Cauliflower Curry Recipe

serves 3-4

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons Oil
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, optional
A pinch of asafetida, optional
½ large red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
One 14 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes. I like San Marzano or Muir Glen.
2 zucchinis, about 12 oz
6 cauliflower florets (about 1 heaping cup of florets)
1 carrot
¼ cup coconut milk
Chopped cilantro or mint for garnish

Method
1.Heat oil in large sauté pan. Add cumin seeds if using. When they sizzle, add the asafetida if using.

2. Immediately add chopped onions. Cook on medium heat till the onions are lightly browned.

3. While the onions are cooking, puree the tomatoes. Place the canned tomatoes in a blender. Fill the empty tomato can with water, pour this into the blender as well. Puree well. You should have about 30 oz of puree now. Set aside.

4. When the onions are browned, add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

5. Add curry powder and stir another 10 seconds. Then pour in pureed tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high, partially cover the pan with a lid and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes or till the sauce thickens a little. Careful, the sauce will bubble and splatter.

6. While the sauce is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the zucchini into 3/4^th inch rounds. Peel and cut the carrot into ½ inch pieces. Break up the cauliflower into florets.

7. Toss the vegetables in the curry sauce, cover and cook till the zucchini is soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in the coconut milk. For an extra creamy curry, add 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of the 1/4 stated in this recipe.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or mint. Serve hot with brown rice or roti or pita bread. My grandmothers multi colored raita goes well with this dish.

This is more an idea than a recipe. Once you learn how to marinate and cook the curried tempeh, you can vary this grilled cheese sandwich however you like.  If you are in hurry, see the shortcut method in the recipe below. Serve with a salad and my Indian spiced potato chips, and this is an easy, tasty meal any time of the day!

You can marinate and saute the tempeh for extra flavor like on the left. Or if you are in a rush, just toss the tempeh in soy sauce and curry powder and make the sandwich like the picture on the right.

I like to marinate the tempeh in soy sauce and curry powder, so that the tempeh soaks up some of the flavors. I used Frontier Indian curry powder. It contains turmeric, coriander, cumin, lemon peel, black pepper, lemon powder, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic and cayenne. Its mild, the lemon peel gives it a fresh pop, and it works well for the curried tempeh.

Remember, curry powders vary vastly in taste depending on the brand. So use my recipe as a guideline. Make a single grilled cheese sandwich, taste it, and adjust the curry powder accordingly.

A weight on top of the grilled cheese (panini style)- like a garden brick or cast iron skillet covered with foil – will ensure even cooking, and melt the cheese quickly. Use medium heat and a weight on top of the sandwich and you will have perfectly golden grilled cheeses every time! 

Love grilled cheese and paninis? Check out my friend Kathy’s fun panini blog!

Curried Tempeh Grilled Cheese with Mango Chutney Recipe

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
For curried tempeh
Half an 8 oz package of tempeh
¼-½ teaspoon curry powder*
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon oil

For the sandwich
4 slices of sourdough bread
1 tablespoon or to taste sweet mango chutney. Substitute with apricot preserves
4 slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese
Handful of fresh arugula or baby spinach leaves or kale leaves, torn
1 teaspoon butter
*curry powders vary greatly in their poteny and spiciness. So I really cant give you an exact amount.

Method
For the curried tempeh
1.Slice the tempeh lengthwise into ¼ inch thin pieces. You will need 6-8 slices, about 4 oz
2.Whisk together the curry powder, soy sauce and water in a bowl. Add tempeh to the bowl and gently toss so the marinade is coated well on the tempeh.
3.Cover and marinate the tempeh in the fridge for 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
4. Heat oil in a medium skillet and add the marinated tempeh. Also add any remaining marinating liquid. Cook on medium heat, flipping the tempeh occasionally, till all the liquid has boiled away and the tempeh is brown on both sides.
Now proceed with making the grilled cheese.

Shortcut curried tempeh: If you are in a hurry, skip the marinating and cooking of the tempeh. Leave out the water and oil. Simply toss tempeh in soy sauce and curry powder and continue with the recipe below.

For the grilled cheese
1.Use a small cast iron skillet or a garden brick as the weight for the grilled cheese. Cover the cast iron skillet or bricks with aluminum foil
2. Take 2 slices of bread and slather about 1/2 teaspoon (or more) mango chutney on both the bread slices
3. Place one slice of cheese on top of the mango chutney. Top it with 3-4 slices of curried tempeh and 6-8 leaves of arugula or baby spinach or kale
4. Cover with another slice of cheese, and the other slice of bread, chutney side down
5. Heat ¼ teaspoon butter in a non stick skillet on medium heat. Place the sandwich on the skillet
6. Put the foil covered weight (cast iron skillet or brick) on top of the sandwich. Make sure it is balanced sitting on the sandwich. Let the sandwich with the weight on top cook on medium heat  till the bottom side is golden, about 2 minutes
7. Then remove the grilled cheese sandwich using a wide spatula, add 1/4^th teaspoon more butter to the pan. Flip the sandwich over and cook the other side, with the weight on top, till it is golden.

Serve immediately with a salad and Indian spiced potato chips.

The secret to this easy, vegan potato curry is Baba’s curry powder. Its a Malaysian made curry powder, and you can buy it online or possibly at a Asian/Malaysian foods store. My pantry is never without Baba’s meat curry powder and Baba’s fish curry powder.

Photo from www.babas.com.my

I highly recommend Baba’s curry powders. Although they are meant for meat, the curry powders themselves contain no meat and they are fantastic to add to vegetables, curries and lentil dishes.

Baba’s meat curry powder Ive used in this recipe contains coriander, fennel, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and cloves.

Substitute Babas curry powder with sambar powder or any yellow curry powder. How much you will need to use depends on the brand and how spicy it is.

Notes:

- When chopping potatoes, keep them in a bowl of water to prevent them from discoloring

- If the curry gets too dry while cooking, sprinkle a little water

- Potatoes will cook sooner if you cut them into smaller cubes

Easy, Vegan Potato Curry or Potato Masala or Potato Poriyal Recipe

serves about 2

1 large potato (about 1 1/2 cups when cut into small cubes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/8th teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/8th teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal (black gram)
a pinch of asafoetida
1 dried red chilli, or according to taste
a few curry leaves, optional
1-2 teaspoons Baba’s meat curry powder or sambar powder or any yellow curry powder (how much curry powder you’ll need depends on the brand you use)
salt

Peel and cut the potato into small cubes. Heat a non stick wok with the oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle, add urad dal, asafoetida, red chili and curry leaves. Cook about 20 seconds or till fragrant. Add the cubed potatoes, curry powder, 2 tablespoons water and salt. Cook on medium heat till the potatoes are cooked, about 6 minutes.

Before I tell you about this amazing noodle dish I learned to make in northern Thailand, here are more pictures from my recent trip. (And in case you missed my previous Thailand posts, they are here and here).

A Thai Market Outside Bangkok

I visited several markets in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The format seems to be pretty much the same everywhere – vegetable section, fruit section, then there are some bug vendors (yes, insects), rice vendors, fresh noodle vendors, dessert section and prepared foods section. Every single market I went to was extremely clean and organized.

This one was outside Bangkok, in the suburbs where I was staying with my uncle. So this market wasnt touristy, which is always a bonus.

Left: Sapodilla vendor. Right: My uncles wife Da, on her phone & buying guavas. Da showed me around here and so patiently explained everything and translated for me so I could communicate with the vendors 

Left: bugs and insects; I was feeling very Andrew Zimmern-ish.  Right: lime, red and green chillies

Pink preserved eggs (Chinese thousand year old eggs or century eggs) and pink noodles

Khao Soi Curry Noodles from Chiang Mai (Kow Swear or Khauk Swear in Burma)

Now lets travel up north to the cool mountains of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chinese Muslim traders have greatly influenced this region’s cuisine. Their delicious, spicy noodle dish, influenced by Burmese cuisine, called Khao Soi was everywhere in this city. My favorite vegetarian Khao Soi is from Aum Vegetarian Restaurant. in Chiang Mai.

Left: Chiang Mai Aum restaurant’s Khao Soi topped with coconut cream. In the background, chilli paste, lemon iced tea, and British kid.    

Right: My home made version

When I took a Thai Vegetarian cooking class at May Kaidee’s, Duan the owner and instructor was kind enough to show me how to make Khao Soi, even though it wasnt on the class schedule. See this post  for more on Duan and the cooking class.

Khao Soi, also spelled Khao Suey or Khao Soy, is also eaten in Myanmar or Burma and Laos. The Burmese version of Khao Soi is called Kow Swear or Khauk Swear. From what I understand, the Burmese curry noodles, are also in a coconut milk broth, but use more Indian influenced spices like coriander and do not have the crispy noodle topping. Since both the the Thai and Burmese versions are quite similar, I’m sending this post off to AWED Burma, hosted by Kitchen Swathi 

Other Khao Soi recipes:

Khao Soi by the amazing Chez Pim
A Khao Soi battle between an American guy in Bangkok and a Thai girl in Iowa
A Khao Soi recipe from Rosas Yummy Yums
And then there is this whole blog dedicated to the quest for the perfect Khao Soi in New York city!
A recipe for the Burmese version – Kow Swear on We Are Never Full blog

The version I learned to make at the cooking class had shredded chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and tofu. Ive used shiitake mushrooms, baby corn, carrot, zucchini and beansprouts. But I highly recommend adding some pan fried or deep fried firm tofu to this.

If there is an Asian store where you live, that is best place to buy the specialty ingredients for this recipe. But you may be able to find fresh chinese noodles (not the dry stuff) at the regular grocery store. For the pickled mustard greens, you may have to make a trip to the Asian store (if you want to make your own, here is a good recipe).

All the amazing Khao Sois I had in Chiangmai were topped with crispy fried noodles – the best part! I didnt feel like deep frying, so I used store bought La Choy brand crispy Asian noodles.

Curry Noodles in Coconut Milk Broth or Khao Soi or Khao Soy Recipe

serves 2-3

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chopped shiitake mushroom
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1/2 cup chopped baby corn
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 teaspoon curry powder or according to taste
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
2 cups fresh Chinese wheat based noodles or about 3 oz dried thin wheat based noodles
1 cup bean sprouts

Toppings and garnishes
1 cup store bought crispy noodles (I used La Choy brand)
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pickled mustard greens (available at Asian stores)
3-4 lime wedges
Chopped cilantro
Chopped green onion

Heat a large wok with oil. Add shitake mushroom, zucchini, baby corn and carrot and cook on high for about 2 minutes. Then add curry paste and curry powder. Toss to coat the vegetables. Add light soy sauce and cook about 30 seconds so the vegetables absorb the liquid. Then add dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk. Let the curry simmer for about 2 minutes.

Then pour in water and bring back to a simmer. Taste curry and adjust soy sauce, and sugar to taste. 

Bring a large pot full of water to boil noodles. If using dried noodles, cook in boiling water till noodles are very al dente. If using fresh noodles, boil for about 1 minute. No matter what noodles you use, make sure not to over cook them. Drain well.

Add cooked noodles and bean sprouts to the curry broth. 

Serve Khao Soi in individual bowls, topped with crispy noodles. If you dont have store bought crispy noodles, increase the fresh or dry wheat noodles quantity in this recipe by 1/2 cup. If using dried noodles — deep fry this extra half cup of boiled, drained noodles in oil, till golden. If using fresh noodles, deep fry them as is. Then top Khao Soi with the fried noodles.

Serve with chopped shallots, pickled mustard greens, lime wedges and cilantro on the side.