Thai food is booming in the United States. Even my small hometown in Virginia has a local Thai spot. Popular menu items include Tom Yum soup, Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and all types of curries. Perhaps you’ll find larb (a minced meat salad) or maybe Som Tum (papaya salad), depending on the spot.
There’s one dish you probably WON’T find, and one that has rapidly become a contender for the number 1 spot on my “favorite foods in Thailand” list: Khao Soi.
Khao Soi is a coconut curry noodle soup that has egg noodles, a protein, as well as crunchy noodles on top. Lime, pickled cabbage, fresh shallots, cilantro, and chili pepper oil are all garnished on top. It’s a unique dish that has a bit of heat, a bit of sweet, along with bitter, salty, and sour flavors, making for a wild flavor journey.
Khao Soi’s beginnings can be traced by to Chinese Muslim traders in the 19th and 20th centuries. They shared their noodle culture as they traveled through Myanmar and Laos before arriving in Thailand, and picked up coconut milk and spices along the away.
The dish is a staple of Northern Thai cuisine, and is THE dish of choice in Chiang Mai. You’ll see shops on every block serving up steaming hot bowls of Khao Soi for 30-60 THB. Each different chef has developed their own unique recipe and no two bowls are alike.
If you see Khao Soi on your local Thai restaurant’s menu, stray from the Pad Thai and give it a try! Your taste buds will thank you.
Check out my Instagram reel below for a live look at authentic Khao Soi!
