Khow Suey (‘COW-SWAY’)
Recipe Details
Servings: 10
Recipe Category: Lunch, Dinner
Difficulty Level: Medium
Cooking Times 60 -120 minutes
Khow Suey ('COW- SWAY') authentic Burmese name is ohn no khauk swe which means ‘coconut milk noodles’. Khow Suey originates from Burma but is a very popular dish in India and Pakistan, and was brought to these countries by expatriates returning from Burma during the middle of the last century.
Years ago, my friend served us this coconut milk and chicken curry/soup with a side of condiments that included noodles, rice, lime, fried onions, boiled eggs, cilantro, spicy chili oil, and spring onions. She explained that we should consider the delicate soup as a base and add noodles or rice or both. Then you can add slices of boiled eggs and any other toppings that you would like to use to flavor the soup. I can truly say, that's when my fascination with Khow Suey began.
You know how you taste a new dish, that you instantly fall in love with and want to know how it’s made because you can’t wait to eat it again. That was me, the first time I tasted Khow /Khao Suey. It is now one of my favorite dishes of all time.
Everyone has their version of this delicate one-dish coconut milk soup. This dish is so versatile, you can make a vegetarian version by using vegetable broth and using tofu instead of chicken. Or, for a gluten-free version use rice noodles or rice. I am sharing a version of my own soup that is based on the tasty flavors that I love - onion, garlic, and garam masala.
This is the perfect dish for a family get-together or special occasion where everyone can flavor their soups with their favorite toppings. I love how each bowl of this dish can taste different whether you use rice or noodles, less lime, more spice, more crunch - everyone has their favorites.
My favorite combination is: Noodles, Eggs, Lots of Limes, Cilantro, Spring onions, a tiny bit of Siracha sauce all topped off with store brought fried onions.
ONE LAST NOTE: Do not be scared off by the number of ingredients below or the dish cooking time, remember a lot of these items can be store brought, to cut down on time and effort!
Pin It!What you’ll need
Broth and Chicken (or you can use store brought chicken broth and shredded steamed chicken)
1 whole chicken without skin
2 carrots
4 celery stalks
1 large onion
2 bay leaves
3 tsp salt
Soup Base
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbs sesame oil
3 peeled large onions, chopped into quarters
6 cloves garlic (or you can use 3 tsp garlic puree)
2-inch fresh ginger peeled (or you can use 2 tsp ginger puree)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp Kashmiri / red chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 teaspoon garam masala
1/3 cup chickpea flour or dried yellow split peas
1/4 cup warm water
4 cans of coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
salt to taste
Toppings
Rice Noodles (cook according to package)
2 cups of cooked rice
Fried Garlic or homemade fried garlic (Peel and slice 12 garlic cloves crosswise. Fry them in 4 tablespoon oil until they are golden)
Store brought fried onions or you can use store brought fried wontons or fried papadums (not a fan), but basically, anything that is CRUNCHY
8 hard-boiled eggs that have been peeled and sliced
Bunch of green onions thinly sliced
4 limes or lemons cut into wedges ( halved then quartered)
1 bunch fresh cilantro/coriander chopped finely
Store brought or homemade Chili oil (You can add 2 tbsp crushed dried Asian chili peppers sauteed in 1 tbs of vegetable oil)
Soy Sauce
Sriracha Sauce
Khow Suey ('COW- SWAY') authentic Burmese name is ohn no khauk swe which means ‘coconut milk noodles
Making the Broth
Boil all the ingredients (under broth)
Skim off fat layers
Turn stove to low and cook for 40 minutes
Remove chicken from broth. Discard vegetables.
Drain stock and put it aside
Shred chicken and set aside.
6. Add oil, onions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil into a blende
7. Puree until everything is smooth
8. Add 2 tbs oil into sauce pan
9. Add in onion mixture and cook on medium for 5 minutes
10. Add in sesame oil
11. Add in spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, garam masala) and cook on medium for 2 minutes
12. Add in fish sauce and stir
13. Add in 4 cans of coconut milk
14. Whisk the chickpea flour with ½ cup warm water to form a smooth slurry
15. Slowly add slurry into mixture and stir consistently to avoid lumps from forming
16. Add in shredded chicken (I use about 1.5 /2 lbs of shredded chicken)
17. Add in 2-4 cups of chicken stock (I use 4 cups), until you get desired soup consistency
18. Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat
19. Now the hard part is over. Put the soup in a large bowl with a ladle.
20. Serve with toppings from above (noodles, cilantro, lime, and eggs, etc)
