Khao Poon is a traditional Laotian coconut curry soup with vermicelli noodles. The soup consists of chicken and chicken broth, vermicelli rice noodles, coconut milk and red curry paste which gives the soup a bright reddish orange color. It also contains several aromatic herbs including lemongrass, lime leaves and galanga. Once cooked, the soup is served with numerous toppings and condiments.
There are several variations of Khao Poon. Khao Poon Nam Jaew when the soup is made without coconut milk and Khao Poon Nam Par includes fish sauce. Galanga or galangal is almost always used in Khao Poon recipes. It is a root, related to turmeric and ginger but has a sharper peppery flavor.
Origin and Significance
Khao Poon originates from Laos with influences from Chinese cuisine. It is quite popular amongst the Hmongs, an indigenous group of people who live in the mountainous regions of Laos, Vietnam and China, where the three countries meet. Khoa Poon is traditionally a celebration or special occasion food and is served at most Lao weddings.
Laotian Khao Poon Recipe
Ingredients
Broth
- Water – 10 cups
- Chicken breast – 3 lbs
- Paprika – 1 tbsp
- Galanga, 2-inch piece – 1
- Lemon grass, smashed – 2 stalks
- Canola oil – 2 tbsp
- Galanga, minced – 3 tbsp
- Shallots, minced- ½ cup
- Lime leaves or kaffir leaves – 1 bunch
- Garlic, minced – 6 cloves
- Red curry paste – 4 oz
- Coconut milk – 28 Oz
- Chicken broth – 40 Oz
- Vermicelli noodles, cooked al dente - 1 Pack
Toppings
- Bean sprouts – 2 cups
- Green cabbage, thinly shredded – 1
- Lettuce, shredded- 1 bunch
- Green onion, chopped – 1 bunch
- Cilantro, chopped – 1 bundle
- Lime, wedged – 1
- Fresh mint – 1/2 Cup
- Thai chilis - 4
Instructions
Chicken Broth and Chicken
- In a large pot, boil the 10 cups of water and chicken broth.
- Add the chicken, piece of galangal, a few limes leaves and smashed lemon grass.
- Simmer the chicken uncovered for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam or residue at the top of the broth.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, but reserve the broth by setting the pot to the side.
- After the chicken completely cools, remove the skin and discard.
- Shred or pound the chicken. Set aside.
Coconut and Curry Base
- Heat up canola oil on medium-high for 30 seconds
- Add the minced shallot, minced galangal, mincedgarlic, minced lemon leaves and paprika until it smells fragrant (around 1 minute).
- Add in the curry paste, coconut milk, stirring continuously until it is well blended.
- Add the chicken in and stir again until well blended.
- Pour all the reserved broth it into the coconut curry base and simmer for 30 minutes and season to taste.
Noodles
- In a pot bring to boil enough water to cover the noodles, about 4 inches.
- Once boiling add the noodles and stir.
- When the water comes back to a boil, remove the pot from heat. Drain the hot water and replace with cold water to keep the noodles separate.
- Take one or two handful of noodles, wrap it around your hand to make a rounded noodle bundle. Squeeze out the excess water, and lay the bundle in a bowl.
- Cover with moist paper towels to prevent them from drying out. Repeat for each bowl you will serve.
- Ladle enough broth to cover the noodles.
- On top of the noodle and broth, add the toppings and condiments.
- Squeeze some lime juice in and add chilli peppers to your level of desired heat. (Removing the pepper seeds will decrease the spiciness)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 831Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 1485mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 81g
Photo credit: Gary Stevens