Beef khao soi
This delicious Thai soup is quick to make, with a broth offering the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, sour and spice.
Ingredients
For the paste
- 2 bird’s-eye chillies
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped galangal
- 6 dried chillies, soaked in boiling water
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 4 lime leaves
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 1 tbsp madras curry powder
For the noodles
For the steak
- 500g/1lb 2oz piece rib-eye steak or similar
- 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
- 2 tsp palm sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To garnish
- fresh coriander
- Thai basil
- 2 red chillies, sliced
- 1 tbsp crispy chilli oil
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
Method
To make the paste, add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend to a paste. Add enough water to loosen the mixture. Set aside.
To prepare the noodles, soak one nest in boiling water. In a frying pan over high heat, add the oil. Once hot, fry the second nest of noodles until crisp and golden. Set aside.
To cook the steak, season the rib-eye with salt and pepper. Place a frying pan over a high heat and add the steak, cooking for 1–2 minutes on each side until coloured. Remove from the pan.
Add the paste to the pan and cook out for 2–3 minutes, then add the beef stock. Simmer gently for a few minutes before adding the coconut milk, fish sauce, soy and sugar.
Put the soft noodles into a bowl, then add the beef and some stock and garnish with the coriander, basil, red chilli, crispy chilli oil, lime wedges, shallots and crispy noodles. Serve.
