Entree: Laos – Vientiane & Central Laos – ເຂົ້າປຽກເສັ້ນ ➤ Khao Piak Sen (Hearty Lao soup of thick, chewy rice noodles in a savory aromatic broth)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Additional
10 min
Total
50 min
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300 g) rice flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) tapioca starch
- 2 cups (480 ml) just-boiled water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil for dough
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 cups (1.9 L) chicken stock
- 1 medium onion, sliced (approx. 6 oz / 170 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) ground white or black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil for frying garlic and shallots
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced and fried until crisp (no measurement required if preferred)
- Garnishes: lime wedges, fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onion, bean sprouts, fried garlic, and chili oil (no measurements required)
Instructions
1. Make the noodles by combining rice flour and tapioca starch in a bowl; slowly pour in the just-boiled water while stirring until a soft dough forms, then mix in 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil. Knead briefly until smooth, let rest 10 minutes, then roll into a loose log and slice or press through a wide-holed noodle press into ribbons; dust with a little rice flour to keep from sticking. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a large pot, sauté the onion until translucent, add ginger, lemongrass, and garlic and cook 1–2 minutes, add chicken pieces and brown lightly, then pour in 8 cups (1.9 L) chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cook 15–20 minutes to develop the broth; remove lemongrass and ginger slices.
2. In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil and gently fry the minced garlic until golden (reserve), and separately fry shallot slices until crisp. When broth is ready, gently add the fresh rice noodles and simmer 2–4 minutes until they become tender and slightly chewy. Season with 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce, 1 tsp (5 g) sugar, and pepper to taste. Divide into bowls, top with fried garlic and shallots, cilantro, green onion, bean sprouts, and lime wedges; serve immediately with chili oil on the side.
