Burmese Khow Suey {Curried Noodles} is a delectable coconut noodle soup. Originally a Burmese dish, it has a permanent and historic place in Pakistani and Indian cuisine. A favorite ,especially with the Memon, Gujrati community, today you can often find a bowl of Khow Suey at many a table in South Asia.
Recipe Origins
Known as Khow Suey, Khao Suey, Khao Soi or Khausa, this is a recipe that has as many adaptations as names. Whichever version of it you eat, every bite of this coconut milk curry inspired by Burmese Cuisine is pure heaven.
Per youlinmagazine.com Burma, or as we know it today, Myanmar, had a huge Indian and Muslim presence in the past, one of the largest groups settled there being the Memons, who were business owners from Gujrat, India. It is believed that they were originally deployed to Burma during World War II, many choosing to make it their permanent home after the War.
Primarily businessmen and traders, they continued to do business with their family and acquaintances in India, the coconut soup thus traveling with them and finding a second home in India.
After the partition of Pakistan and India in 1947, the noodle dish travelled from the Indian Subcontinent to Karachi, Pakistan along with the migration of the Memons and it is believed that "Khausa" as they call it is such an integral part of their cuisine, many don't even realize that it is of Burmese origin.
Today both Pakistanis and Indians enjoy the one dish meal made with a coconut milk broth. Once you try a bite, you’ll be as smitten with this chicken curry as South Asians are!
My Recipe
The recipe that I am sharing with you today was handed down to me by a dear cousin and is a little different from the traditional Memon version. I have yet to try a Khow Suey recipe I don’t like but have stuck to this one for years as it makes a flavorsome soup and is very easy to prepare.
Many recipes call for multiple steps and require multiple cooking utensils but this is a One Pot recipe, making prep and clean up very easy and straightforward.
The Ingredients
The Spices
As mentioned before, my recipe is very simple, as you can see by the size of my ingredient list below. I use a simple three spice blend comprising of salt, turmeric powder and red chilies.
Many people use a broader assortment of curry spices or add a curry paste to their Khow Suey. Cumin seeds, coriander powder and lemon grass are some favorite additions.
However, I refrain from adding too many and instead, let the elaborate garnishes at the end add a lot of the extra flavor.
The Base of The Curry
The base, like that of any curry is made up of onions, garlic and tomatoes. Chicken breasts are cubed and stir fried with all of these ingredients and simmered to create a juicy stock which is thickened by gram flour and flavored with coconut milk.
The Thickening Agent
Be sure to use gram flour and not chickpea flour as the two are different. Gram flour is derived from yellow gram lentils and Chickpea Flour is a derivative of garbanzo beans.
A Vegetarian Version
Although I highly recommend making the curry with chicken, if you’re a vegetarian you can still enjoy it!
In this case, I would brown the onions, sauté the garlic and add some vegetable stock along with the tomatoes, spices and gram flour to make the curry.
If necessary, you can use an immersion or upright blender to help create a smoother curry. Add in the vegetables such as baby corn, green beans, bell peppers and any other favorites along with the coconut milk.
Simmer the curry for no longer than 15 minutes and then serve with the noodles and garnishes while hot.
Healthier Version
Want a healthier version of the curry? Use lite coconut milk and whole wheat wide egg noodles. Your Burmese Khow Suey will still taste delicious!
The Noodles
For the boiled noodles, I like to use wide egg noodles. This original Burmese Khow Suey recipe was made with Spaghetti but after trying a version with egg noodles we switched over!
My kids like the taste better and it’s much easier to eat the curry with the smaller noodles!
For a Gluten Free version, try the Khao Suey Recipe with Rice Noodles! It will still taste amazing!
The Toppings
If you ask me, this is perhaps the best part of khow suey! There’s a lot of room for creativity when it comes to deciding on the delicious toppings you’ll pair with your recipe. In my family we’re creatures of habit and stick to the same basic lineup every time:
- Chopped boiled egg
- Chopped spring onions / green onions
- Lemon wedges/ Lime wedges /Lemon juice
- Crispy noodles
- Red Chili Flakes
Some additional topping ideas and variations you can try are:
- Fried onions
- Fried garlic/crispy garlic/garlic slices
- Chilli oil
- Sliced Chili Pepper/Green Chilies
Like I said! The toppings are the best part as they allow you to adapt the recipe to your taste buds.
How To Serve The Khow Suey
Burmese Khow Suey is perfect for when you're entertaining a small group of people. The assortment of toppings makes for a beautiful presentation. Plus, the variety of condiments enable the guests to customize their bowls based on their personal preferences.
I usually serve mine family style; with the noodles and curry in large bowls and the toppings in smaller individual bowls. This way, every one can ladle exactly the quantity they want into their soup plates {My preferred dinnerware for this curry}.
When eating Khow Suey, first ladle the egg noodles into your plate and then pour the rich broth you’ve prepared over the noodles. Add the desired toppings, especially your choice of citrus, as the tanginess of lime juice really gives the curry a nice finishing touch.
Once you're done eating don't forget to rate and review the recipe and if you have time to take a quick picture BEFORE you start eating please share it on social media and tag this page!
Burmese Khow Suey {Curried Noodles}
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 lbs boneless chicken
- 2 tsps red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tsps salt
- ½ cup gram flour (besan) (SEE NOTES)
- 2 tomatoes (SEE NOTES)
- 2 cups water
- 1 can coconut milk
The Noodles
- 1 package egg noodles (SEE NOTES)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Toppings
- 4 eggs
- 4 green onions
- ½ cup crispy noodles (SEE NOTES)
- 2 lemons
- crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil and saute the finely diced onion in it .
- Once the onion is a medium brown, add the garlic paste and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add cubed chicken pieces and sear till they are no longer pink and translucent.
- Add all of the the spices and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the gram flour(besan) and roast for a minute or two (SEE NOTES)
- Add the diced tomatoes and saute till they release water.
- Add the 2 cups of water to the mixture, stir, cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes (SEE NOTES)
- Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 15 minutes.
The Noodles
- Fill a 6 quart cooking pot ¾ full of water, add a teaspoon full of salt and bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the packet of egg noodles to it and cook till the pasta is cooked
- Drain the water and toss the pasta with the 2 tbsp of olive oil so it doesn't stick together.
The Toppings
- Hard boil the eggs, cool, peel and chop.
- Chop the green onions, using both the green and white part.
- Quarter the lemons
Late comer to this recipe but OMG! So glad to have found it. Love the taste, love the magic with the gram flour, and I always load on the toppings - in addition to the boiled eggs, green onions, crushed peppers and lemon juice, I always add fried garlic, dried shrimp, and fried crispy onions. That’s the beauty of your recipe, Nosheen - can top it with whatever we like and it’ll be JUST AS DELICIOUS! Highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet.
Thank You for trying the recipe Aasiya! Some of the toppings you’ve suggested sound amazing! I may have to try them next time myself!
Absolutely outstanding recipe. I always thought Khao Suey was a huge hassle to make and it usually is but this recipe is fast and foolproof! I ate so much that at lunch I declared that I can't eat dinner! In our household we've become huge fans of Nosheen's recipes.
Hands down the best khao suey recipe! I’ve tried so many before this, and there was always a problem with consistency or flavors. This one has the most authentic taste and is simply delicious