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Vegan Khao Soi

Vegan Khao Soi

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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Assembly 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 2 bowls
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Curry Paste
  • 5 pods cardamon
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 5 large red chilis (for color)
  • 5 medium hot chilis (for spice)
  • 10 cloves Thai garlic
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 1 disk dried, fermented soy paste (or less, it's pungent AF)
  • 1 coriander root
  • 1-2 fingerroot
  • 1 cubic inch turmeric
  • 1 thin slice galangal
  • 1 cup shallots
  • 4 tbsp curry powder
Soup
  • ½ block firm tofu
  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1 pack seafood mushrooms
  • 2 handfuls noodles
  • 1-2 cups fresh pressed coconut milk (to taste)
  • 3 shallots
  • 2 sprigs Thai celery

Equipment

  • 1 Mortar and Pestle (or high-speed blender)
  • 1 Clay pot (or regular pot)

Method
 

Curry Paste
  1. Using your mortar and pestle, pound the spices into a powder, set aside.
  2. Chop and pound the remaining ingredients in the order listed, adding the next after the former has been sufficiently pulverized.
  3. Add back the pounded spices and pound until incorporated. Set aside for 10+ min so flavors can meld.
Soup
  1. In your favorite clay pot, bring a liter of water to boil. (If using metal pot, use a little less water.)
  2. Add curry paste and bring back to boil before adding a wedge of cabbage.
  3. Once the cabbage (added to flavor the broth) is cooked, add two servings worth of mushrooms.
  4. When the mushrooms are 90% ready, take off the heat and add some chopped celery, sliced shallot, and the coconut milk. Let rest, clay pots keep cooking for a few minutes.
  5. (At this point you can either remove the cabbage wedge to eat on the side, or plan to add a few bites to your final soup. Either way, eat your greens!)
Preparing to serve
  1. Grill the firm tofu over coals - mostly to warm it up.
  2. Slice into 8 slices, to split before two bowls.
  3. Meanwhile, put a handful of noodles in each of two bowls.
  4. Pour hot broth over the noodles, garnish with celery greens and sliced tofu.