This delightfully creamy coconut-curry noodle dish is called, Kao Soi (ข้าวซอย)
The origins of the dish is said to have been a fusion of Shan (an ethnic group from Burma) and Yunnanese-Muslim cuisines and it is now recognised as a de facto dish of Northern Thailand. It is a great comfort dish to eat all-year round for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In my opinion, this is a mildly-spicy curry noodle dish, for people who are unable to take spicy food, I would rate it 3–4 out of 10 on the spice-scale. You would be able to find slight variations of the dish all throughout Northern Thailand served with either chicken (ไก่ gai) or beef (เนื้อ neua).
The broth is first made by blending and pounding a combination of moist and dry aromatics (shallots, ginger, red chilies, cardamom, lemongrass, coriander seeds, lime zest, cilantro stems, garlic, tumeric and coriander) together with red & yellow curry powder into a paste. The curry paste is gently fried in a wok, this process helps the aromatics & spices release its aromas and intensifies the flavors.
In a large pot, chicken/(beef) stock, chicken thighs and drumsticks, (beef), soy/fish sauce, palm sugar and coconut milk are added together with the curry paste. It is then slowly simmered to develop further flavor and the dish is usually topped with some crispy, fried yellow noodles for texture and crunch. Kao Soi is typically served with a side of garnishes and sauces such as shallots, a wedge of lime, cilantro, some pickled mustard greens, sweet soy sauce and roasted chili paste/oil.
Kao Soi stalls/restaurants/vendors can easily be found scattered all over Chiang Mai and the Northern region. This dish is a humble and inexpensive curry noodle dish with complex flavours. A bowl of Kao Soi can easily cost you 30฿-100฿ ($1.70-$3.00 USD), depending on the location of the shop/restaurant.
You can find out more about the Northern Thai Cuisine — here
