Khao poon

Khao poon is the soup I crave on gray days: a spicy Lao red curry broth with coconut milk, tender shredded chicken, rice vermicelli and a pile of fresh, crunchy toppings. In Laos it is a celebration dish, served at weddings and festivals — but it is also weeknight-friendly enough to earn a spot in your regular rotation.

I first tried it at a Lao restaurant in Minneapolis and could not stop thinking about it — creamy, spicy, tangy and savory all at once. After some research and generous advice from Lao friends, this is the version I make at home, and I think it gets remarkably close.

The beauty of khao poon is in the toppings: bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, carrot, cilantro, mint, scallions, a squeeze of lime. Everyone builds their own bowl at the table, which makes it as fun to serve as it is to eat. It also happens to be gluten- and dairy-free.

Khao Poon Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes · Cook time: 1 hour · Total: 1 hour 20 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~276 per serving

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 piece of galangal (or fresh ginger)
• A few makrut lime leaves
• 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons red curry paste
• 2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• About 14 oz rice vermicelli noodles, cooked
• Chopped vegetables (bean sprouts, cabbage, carrot)
• Fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, scallion)
• Fish sauce and lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring the water and broth to a boil. Add the chicken, galangal, lime leaves, lemongrass, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, skimming off any foam, until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Transfer the chicken to a board, let it cool slightly and shred it. Strain the broth and discard the solids.
3. In another large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the curry paste, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Stir in one can of coconut milk, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Add the second can of coconut milk, the brown sugar, fish sauce and about 4 cups of the reserved broth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Divide the noodles among four bowls, ladle the soup over, and top with shredded chicken, vegetables and herbs. Serve with extra fish sauce and lime.

Recipe Notes

• Bamboo shoots and mushrooms can go in with the coconut milk; tofu or shrimp near the end; hard-boiled eggs, fried shallots and roasted peanuts make great toppings.
• Adjust the heat with more or less curry paste, or a pinch of chili flakes.
• Store the soup base and noodles separately in the fridge for up to 3 days; keep toppings in their own containers up to a week.
• The soup base freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw completely before reheating.