Khao Suey
I just love recipes like these - easy to make, full of fresh flavors and healthy at the same time.
Khao Suey originates from the Burmese and Thai border and probably has a million variations. I got this recipe from a friend whose grandmother was from Burma and this is a recipe that has been passed on in his family. It was very kind of him to share his family recipe with me. I have made a few modifications to his recipe mainly to eliminate ingredients that are a bit challenging to find - outside of India.
You can basically throw in any kind of vegetables in this recipe - I happen to love the combination of red bell pepper and mushrooms but baby corn, snow peas, eggplant, carrots etc. would also taste wonderful. Since this recipe comes from the Thailand border - it does have some similarity to red curry, and you also use some of that paste in the preparation but the other spices used along with the curry paste somehow turns it into an amazing fusion. Coconut milk completes the sauce by balancing the punch from all the spices with its mild and sweet flavor. Use thick or flat rice noodles or the regular Ramen noodles…either way, its going to taste delicious!
On a side note, my first interview got published in a mainstream Indian magazine (India Today) and Veggie Zest was selected as one of the good food blogs from India. Yayy! SO all those visitors coming after reading my interview in India Today - Welcome! Please leave comments below so that I know you were here.
Serving for 2 people
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup tofu, diced into bite size pieces
handful of sliced scallions
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 cup coconut milk (250 ml)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp sugar
salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
noodle - of your choice (preferably thick)
handful of roughly chopped cilantro
lemon wedges for serving
- In a bowl add tofu, turmeric and little salt. Stir to mix well so that all the tofu pieces are coated well with turmeric and salt. Keep aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cook noodle and keep aside. (to avoid them from sticking, run the cooked noodles under cold tap water)
- In a large wok or a pan, heat oil on medium high.
- Add sliced onions and cook stirring continuously till they turn a nice golden and become fragrant.
- Add ginger garlic paste and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add tofu and cook till it turns slightly golden.
- Add bell pepper and mushroom, continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the Thai curry paste and stir to mix well. You want all the veggies and tofu to be coated with the paste evenly and the paste is slightly cooked.
- Add coconut milk, water and sugar. Mix to combine well and to form a lump free sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for about 10 minutes.
- Taste to adjust the seasoning.
To Serve: In a bowl add noodles. Pour the khao suey generously on the noodles. Mix well with chopsticks or fork and spoon. Sprinkle some scallions and a few drops of lemon juice. Add a few sprigs of cilantro and serve hot with extra lemon wedges.


Congratulations on being published :).
Loved the recipe. Am a big fan of noodles, red thai paste and vegetables and tofu.. So an excellent post for me. Thanks for sharing the background of this dish.
Such a native recipe! thanks for posting .. Would love to make this some time
Looks delicious and I will test it! Thank you for the recipe!^^
Grandmothers recipes are always great! Congrats on being published, thats really exciting!
I have just come across your site. Your photographs and the creativity behind it is truly admirable. Congrats on being published and being labelled one of the best in Indian food blogs. No small feat there!
I so want to make this recipe, would you please share exactly what type of noodles you are using here?
Hey Ahalia, these are just plain noodles. If you are not a vegan then get egg noodles not from the pasta but the oriental section of your store and that should be pretty similar to these.
My husband and I went to Thailand in January and had Khao Suey! (or how we saw it: Khao Soi). No matter how you spell or pronounce it, it is definitely the same out of this world-delicious noodle dish. Glad to see others out there making it. Here is our version: http://adamkels.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/cookin-khao-soi/
I grew up in Bangkok and Khao Suey is definitely more of a northern dish so I didn’t grow up eating it but now my brother lives in Chiang Mai and made it for us and I am hooked. So delicious! Your version looks awesome. Will have to try it
Ever since I posted this recipe I have been spotting Khao Suey on menus at so many restaurant. I tried it at two different places and they both tasted different from each other and from my version as well. They were all delicious - this is a very diverse recipe that way!
Yum! I have everything to make this for dinner tonight, I can’t wait!
Sweet….hope you like it!
Looks delightfully delicious
That just literally made my mouth water!!!!! OMG I need to attempt this!!!! Looks amazing!!!!
I love food like this, quick, nutritious and tastes great. I love your pic too, great job x
So do I….specially on weeks that you’ve been crazy busy. I am also partial to recipe with noodles+soup/curry. Thanks!
Oh you are? I’m due to put one up..a hot one! I hope that you will check it out xx
Wonderful - will do, thanks!