Burmese recipe
How to make Coconut chicken noodles (ohn no khao swe)
အုန်းနို့ခေါက်ဆွဲ
Central Myanmar; it is thought to come from Shwedaung, near Pyay
Wheat noodles in a mild curried chicken broth made with coconut milk and thickened with chickpea flour. It is served with boiled egg, raw onion, crispy fried noodles, chilli, fish sauce and lime.
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 750 ml chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons chickpea flour (gram flour), mixed with 150 ml cold water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 400 g egg noodles or wheat noodles
- To serve: 4 hard-boiled eggs, 1 small raw onion thinly sliced, lime wedges, chilli flakes and fresh coriander
Method
- Mix the chicken with the turmeric, paprika and a pinch of salt.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions, garlic and ginger over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until soft and golden.
- Add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until it is sealed on all sides.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the chickpea flour mixture again, pour it in while stirring, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is creamy.
- Season with the fish sauce. Meanwhile cook the noodles as the packet says and drain them.
- Divide the noodles between bowls, ladle over the chicken broth and top with halved eggs, sliced onion and coriander. Serve with lime and chilli flakes.
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Families of the Memon community who had lived in Myanmar took the dish to Pakistan, where it became a favourite in Karachi.
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