Khao poun kai - le délice laotien ​

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Chicken Thighs (bone‑in, skin‑on for tenderness)
• 2 liters Water (for broth)
• 1 tablespoon Salt (adjust to taste)
• 2 stalks Lemongrass (bruised and knotted)
• 4 slices Galangal (fresh, about 2 cm each)
• 5 leaves Kaffir Lime Leaves (torn roughly)
• 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (Thai style)
• 800 ml Coconut Milk (full‑fat, two 400 ml cans)
• 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce (Thai fish sauce)
• 1 tablespoon Fermented Fish Sauce (Padek) (optional, for authentic flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (balances saltiness)
• 1 cup Bamboo Shoots (sliced, drained)
• 200 g Rice Vermicelli (dried rice noodles)
• 1 piece Cucumber (peeled, cut into 2 mm sticks)
• 1 piece Carrot (peeled, sliced <1 mm then julienned)
• 0.5 head Cabbage (white or red) (shredded fine)
• 0.25 cup Fresh Mint Leaves (loosely packed)
• 0.25 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves (stems coarsely chopped, leaves whole)
• 2 stalks Scallions (Green Onions) (sliced thin)
• 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 1 piece Shallot (finely chopped)
• 2 pieces Dried Chilies (optional) (fried in oil for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (neutral oil for sautéing)

Instructions

1. Make the Chicken Broth

   Place chicken thighs, water, bruised lemongrass, sliced galangal, torn kaffir lime leaves and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium‑high heat, skim off any foam, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: medium‑high to simmer

2. Prepare the Fresh Vegetables

   While the broth simmers, peel the cucumber and cut into 2 mm sticks, julienne the carrot, shred the cabbage, slice the remaining kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chop coriander stems, tear mint leaves, slice scallions, crush the garlic and finely chop the shallot.

   Time: PT15M

3. Cook the Rice Vermicelli

   Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the rice vermicelli and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Drain in a sieve, rinse under cold running water and toss lightly to keep the noodles from sticking together.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: boiling

4. Create the Curry Base

   Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp oil and sauté the crushed garlic and chopped shallot for about 30 seconds. Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in 400 ml coconut milk, bring to a gentle boil and reduce by half (about 5 minutes). Add the remaining 400 ml coconut milk and set aside.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: medium

5. Finish the Soup Broth

   Remove the cooked chicken thighs, lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves from the pot. Discard the skin and shred the chicken meat using a mortar and pestle or two forks. Stir the prepared curry‑coconut mixture into the broth, return the shredded chicken, add the sliced bamboo shoots, 1 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp fish sauce (plus optional 1 tbsp padek). Adjust seasoning if needed and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: high to boil

6. Assemble and Serve

   Divide the raw vegetable mix into four serving bowls. Add three generous portions of the cooled vermicelli to each bowl, then top with mint leaves, coriander, and sliced scallions. Ladle hot broth over the noodles and vegetables. Garnish with fried dried chilies if desired. Mix well before eating.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: hot broth

Nutrition Facts

Calories

630

Protein

40 g

Carbohydrates

85 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chicken Thighs: Chicken Drumsticks
• Instead of Salt: Sea Salt
• Instead of Lemongrass: Lemon zest (less flavor)
• Instead of Galangal: Ginger
• Instead of Kaffir Lime Leaves: Lime zest
• Instead of Red Curry Paste: Homemade red curry paste
• Instead of Coconut Milk: Coconut cream diluted with water
• Instead of Fish Sauce: Soy sauce + lime juice
• Instead of Fermented Fish Sauce (Padek): Extra fish sauce
• Instead of Sugar: Palm sugar
• Instead of Bamboo Shoots: Water chestnuts
• Instead of Rice Vermicelli: Other rice noodles
• Instead of Cucumber: Zucchini
• Instead of Carrot: Daikon
• Instead of Cabbage (white or red): Napa cabbage
• Instead of Fresh Mint Leaves: Thai basil
• Instead of Fresh Coriander Leaves: Parsley
• Instead of Scallions (Green Onions): Chives
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder
• Instead of Shallot: Small onion
• Instead of Dried Chilies (optional): Red pepper flakes
• Instead of Vegetable Oil: Canola oil

Equipment Needed

• Large Pot
• Cutting Board
• Chef's Knife
• Fine Mesh Sieve
• Skillet
• Wooden Spoon
• Mortar and Pestle (optional)
• Measuring Spoons
• Serving Bowls
• Ladle

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Simmering the broth with aromatics for full flavor
• Rinsing and separating the rice vermicelli to avoid clumping
• Reducing the coconut milk with curry paste to concentrate aroma
• Shredding the chicken traditionally with a mortar (or fork)
• Adjusting seasoning before the final boil

Chef Tips from the Video

• Bruise lemongrass and crush galangal to release maximum aroma
• For a richer flavor, toast the red curry paste briefly before adding coconut milk
• If you cannot find padek, a teaspoon of shrimp paste can add a similar depth.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store broth and cooked chicken separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Keep vermicelli and raw vegetables in separate containers.

Freezer: Broth freezes well for up to 1 month; thaw before reheating. Do not freeze vermicelli as texture changes.

Room temperature: Do not leave the soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Broth can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat gently before adding noodles
• Cooked vermicelli can be stored in a sealed bag with a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking
• Herb garnish is best added fresh just before serving

Frequently Asked Questions