Khao soi explained

Khao soi
Alternate Name:	Khao soy
Region:	Northern Thailand, Northern Laos, and Myanmar
National Cuisine:	Myanmar, Laos and Thailand
Creator:	Chin Haw
Type:	Noodle soup
Main Ingredient:	Hand-cut rice or egg noodles, coconut milk, curry soup base
Variations:	Northern Thai khao soi, Lao khao soi
No Recipes:	yes
Similar Dish:	Ohn no khao swè

Khao soi or khao soy (Thai: ข้าวซอย, in Thai pronounced as /kʰâ(ː)w sɔ̄ːj/; Lao: ເຂົ້າຊອຍ, in Lao pronounced as /kʰȁ(ː)w sɔ́ːj/; ข้าวซอย, pronounced as /kʰa᷇w sɔ̄ːj/; Shan: ၶဝ်ႈသွႆး, in Shan pronounced as /kʰaw˧˧˨.sʰɔj˥/; Burmese: အုန်းနို့ခေါက်ဆွဲ, in Burmese pronounced as /ʔóʊɴ no̰ kʰaʊʔ sʰwɛ́/) is a Chin Haw dish^{[1] [2]} served in Laos and northern Thailand.^[3] A comparable dish, ohn no khao swè, is widely served in Myanmar. The name means "cut rice" and is derived from the Tai-Kadai language family. In Myanmar, it is known as "khao swè", an adaptation of the original name. Traditionally, the dough for the rice noodles is spread out on a cloth stretched over boiling water. After steaming, the sheet noodles are rolled and cut with scissors.

The dish is believed to have evolved from Chinese Muslim traders who plied the spice route when what is now modern-day northern Thailand was controlled by the Burmese.^[4]

Lao khao soi is traditionally made with hand-sliced rice noodles in clear broth and topped with minced pork. In some markets in Luang Namtha and Muang Sing, vendors still hand-cut the noodles. These traditionally cut noodles can also be found in several places in northern Thailand.

Versions

There are several common versions of khao soi:

• Lao khao soi is completely different and has no relation to the more famous Muslim-influenced khao soi, a rich coconut curry and egg rice noodle soup, of northern Thailand and Burma.^[5] Lao khao soi is a hand-sliced rice noodle soup with clear chicken, beef or pork broth topped with a tomato meat sauce made of minced pork, tomatoes, garlic, and fermented bean paste.^[6] The dish is always served with fresh herbs. Lao khao soi noodles are made with steamed rectangular sheets of rice flour batter. The streamed rice flour sheets are then rolled and sliced into wide rice noodle ribbons. The name khao soi is derived from the Lao language meaning 'sliced rice': khao is “rice” and soi means “sliced” and it is probably where the dish got its name. The northern Lao provinces of Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang are said to be the birthplace of the Lao khao soi.^{[7] [8]} Northern Laotians have a special way of preparing this dish; different versions of it can be found at Lao restaurants.^[9]
• Northern Thai khao soi or Khao Soi Islam is closer to the present-day Burmese ohn no khao swè, being a soup-like dish made with a mix of deep-fried crispy egg noodles and boiled egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, ground chillies fried in oil, and meat in a curry-like sauce containing coconut milk.^[10] The curry is somewhat similar to that of yellow or massaman curry but of a thinner consistency. It is popular as a street dish eaten by Thai people in northern Thailand, though not frequently served in Thai restaurants abroad.
  The Northern Thai khao soi's predecessor was likely a noodle dish that made its way to the region from Myanmar, via the Chin Haw, a group of Thai Chinese Muslims from Yunnan, who traded along caravan routes through Shan State in Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand from the 18th to early 20th centuries.^[11] Due to the Muslim influence, the noodle soup was originally halal, and therefore commonly served with chicken or beef, not pork.^[12]
  Different variants of khao soi that are made without any coconut milk and with rice noodles instead of egg noodles are mainly eaten in the eastern half of northern Thailand.
• Shan khao soi (;) is featured in the cuisine of the Shan people who primarily live in Burma. The dish consists of hand-sliced rice noodles topped with a tomato and meat sauce. This version of khao soi, as well as the version in Chiang Rai Province, can contain pieces of curdled blood (see khow suey).^[13]

See also

• List of soups
• Khow suey
• Laksa
• Thai curry

External links

• Khao soi recipe, Northern Thai style curried noodle soup with chicken

Notes and References

1. News: Khao Soi Recipe, Northern Style Curried Noodle Soup with Chicken (khaao saawy gai ; สูตรทำข้าวซอยไก่). 4 December 2010. Thaifoodmaster. 28 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200806065957/https://thaifoodmaster.com/origin/northern_thai/2031#.XyuqfnbP3IU . 6 August 2020 .
2. Web site: Groundwater . Ben . 10 June 2022 . This Thai dish is one of the world's all-time greatest foods . 10 February 2023 . Traveller.
3. News: Recipe: Burmese Khao Suey. The Express Tribune. Shafia. Agha. 3 February 2013. 11 February 2013.
4. Web site: Khao Soi: Northern Thailand's Signature Dish . Thaizer . 16 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202053332/https://www.thaizer.com/khao-soi-northern-thailands-signature-dish/. 2 December 2022.
5. Web site: Fan. Cindy. 16 April 2019. An obsession with khao soi, Lao rice noodles. 30 June 2021. So Many Miles. en-US.
6. Web site: 28 January 2019. Laos Khao Soi - Tomato Meat Sauce Noodle Soup. 30 June 2021. Scruff & Steph. en-US.
7. Web site: Fan. Cindy. 16 April 2019. An obsession with khao soi, Lao rice noodles. 30 June 2021. So Many Miles. en-US.
8. Web site: 15 February 2012. How to make Khao Soi meat sauce Tai Neua style. 30 June 2021. Food from Northern Laos. en.
9. Web site: Kao Soi. Lao Food Recipes. The Boat Landing Guest House and Restaurant. 7 July 2012. 26 March 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120716224817/http://www.theboatlanding.laopdr.com/menu/recipes.html#kao%20soi. 16 July 2012.
10. Book: Walters, A.V. . The Foodspotting Field Guide . Chronicle Books . 2014 . 978-1-4521-3008-8 . 1 June 2017 . pt39.
11. News: Eckhardt . Robyn . 27 November 2009 . In Thailand, Chiang Mai's Fiery Noodles, Khao Soi . en-US . Wall Street Journal . 21 May 2023 . 0099-9660.
12. Web site: Khao Soi . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200616201444/http://library.cmu.ac.th/ntic/en_lannafood/detail_lannafood.php?id_food=73 . 16 June 2020 . 7 July 2012 . Lanna Food . Chiang Mai University.
13. Web site: Khao Soy Tai or Shan Kao Soi by Sao Tern Moeng . Shancooking.blogspot.com . 26 March 2006 . 19 September 2013.