And for once they both go together!! No random out of nowhere talk today because the recipe and the story go hand in hand. Cool! OKok, so you may hear me talk about my brother Brendan and his girlfriend Lyndsie from time to time. Well, those two are the inspiration, and honestly the reason this recipe came to be. The two of them just returned from a month plus trip to Thailand. They were supposed to be shopping for home goods and such for Lyndsie’s sister Amber. Amber is an interior designer in LA with a shoppe in Calabasas. While I suppose they did manage to squeeze in some of that, I really think they just drank Mai Tai’s, ate delicious food, rode elephants, and hung out by the pool…when in Thailand, right? While they were searching for all their goods, they also came across new recipes. This Chicken Khao Soi Soup is Lyndsie’s favorite and she demanded I make it right away. OK, that’s a slight exaggeration, but she said it is her all time favorite, and the moment I looked up the recipe I knew she was on to something that I had to make. I also knew just how to put my own little spin on the recipe.
Chicken Khao Soi is a northern Thai chicken noodle soup made up simply of curry paste, coconut milk and chicken. Honestly, this is one of the easiest recipes ever. The secret is the khao soi curry paste, which Brendan and Lyndsie sent me straight from Thailand along with the egg noodles also needed to complete this soup. They sent me a bunch of other foods too…but it’s all in Thai and I have not a clue as to what it is. Think of things that look like dried mushrooms, chile peppers, spices and some weird white things that look like they belong on the bottom of the ocean…not gonna lie, I’m kind of creeped out by them. Maybe those guys can enlighten me when they come for Christmas. Anyway, the point is that they helped me to create this soup, and without their adventures I would never have been able to experience the deliciousness that is Chicken Khao Soi. I also wouldn’t have been able to share it with you guys!! And um, I am SO very excited to share it! Oh and aside from all the food, they sent back a ton of dishes, like the middle bowl you see in these photos, and the chopsticks too! So I mean, I have some pretty authentic Thai food happening right now, and if I didn’t already make it clear (I did, I know) I’m pumped about it.
As I mentioned, traditionally the soup is just khao soi paste, coconut milk, chicken broth, chicken, fish sauce and egg noodles, but I when I read the ingredients I could not help but think that the addition of kabocha squash and pomegranate arils would be kind of amazing. So my version includes thin wedges of kabocha squash, pomegranate molasses and fresh pomegranate arils for topping. I know I say this a lot, but guys, this soup is incredible! It’s spicy, but the heat is balanced by the coconut milk, squash and sweet pomegranate. The egg noodles are a must, I mean obviously, and while the pomegranate might seem odd, it completes the recipe, giving the soup a burst of freshness. Words cannot describe how much I love this bowl of soup. New winter favorite right here. Best part? Very minimal hands on time, ten ingredients, twelve with the cilantro and lime garnishes, and it’s ready to eat in under forty-five minutes. Best meal ever. <– for real.
So everyone please thank the brother and his girlfriend for this one…and then make bowl after bowl.
