KHAO SOI

MAKES 4 SERVINGS.

ORIGINALLY FROM NORTHERN THAILAND, khao soi is a hearty, curry-based soup traditionally made with chicken and lots of noodles. While it may seem like there are a lot of ingredients for a very complex recipe, the method is pretty straightforward: make a curry paste and cook down some onions in a wok, throw in the curry and a little stock, add the coconut milk, noodles, and our roast instead of the chicken. Then comes the fun part: the garnishes. There are crispy fried noodles, sliced shallot, pickled mustard greens, lime, and bean sprouts—all really colorful and full of flavor. See the photo here. For that reason, whenever I’m in a cooking rut, I turn to this khao soi. If you’re not familiar with makrut limes (also known as kaffir limes), they’re ugly and dimply and different from average limes in that they’re much more complex and floral. The limes themselves are a little tough to find, but the leaves should be readily available in an Asian market or well-stocked grocery store; look for them next to the packaged fresh herbs.

3 tablespoons safflower oil

Seeds of 1 cardamom pod

1 (1-inch piece) fresh turmeric, rinsed

1 (1-inch piece) fresh galangal, peeled and sliced into coins

3 makrut lime leaves

8 to 10 curry leaves

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

1 (4-inch) piece lemongrass stalk, pounded with the back of a chef’s knife (see here)

6 dried chiles de árbol or fresh Thai chilis, stems removed

¼ cup tamari

2½ cups Lemongrass and Ginger Stock (here) or vegan vegetable stock

1 medium-size yellow onion, sliced

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

½ cup safflower or another high-heat oil, such as canola, peanut, or vegetable, for frying

8 ounces fresh flat vegan Chinese noodles

1 pound Lemongrass and Ginger Roast (here) or Field Roast Lentil Sage Quarter Loaf, cut into ¼-inch strips

1 medium-size shallot, thinly sliced

2 limes, cut into wedges

6 sprigs cilantro

1 cup bean sprouts

½ cup Pickled Mustard Greens (here), roughly chopped

1. In a small pan or skillet over low heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the cardamom, turmeric, galangal, lime leaves, curry leaves, coriander seeds, garlic, lemongrass, and chiles. Toast the spices slowly, stirring occasionally, until they smell toasty and fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender. Add the tamari and ¼ cup of the stock to the blender and blend until smooth. Add up to an additional ¼ cup of stock, if necessary, to blend. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring 12 cups of water to a low boil.

3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining oil and add the onion. Sauté, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add the curry mixture from the blender. Allow this to cook down, stirring every 30 seconds or so, for the next 7 minutes. Lower the heat to a low simmer. If the mixture becomes dry, add up to ¼ cup of stock. Allow the mixture to slowly simmer for another 5 minutes.

4. Add the salt, sugar, and remaining stock and increase the heat to high. While stirring, taste for salt and sugar and add more, if desired. Once the liquid has come to a boil, lower the heat to medium and add the coconut milk. Stir to combine and allow to simmer while you are cooking the noodles.

5. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the frying oil. After about 4 minutes, the oil will be hot. Add a small handful of the fresh noodles and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are crispy. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.

6. Add the remaining noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes; they should still be a little firm. Skim or strain the noodles out of the water and add, along with the roast, to the skillet of curry liquid. Stir to combine the mixture and divide equally among bowls. Garnish each bowl with some crispy noodles, shallot, lime slices, cilantro, sprouts, and greens.

CHEF’S NOTE: You can use store-bought curry paste here if you don’t have time to make your own, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. And don’t be alarmed at the color of the paste you make at home: it will be a deep, rich orange color because of the turmeric, but once you add it to the soup, it’ll mellow out into a nice shade of yellow.