Khao Poon soup from Laos

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 chicken or chicken thigh, approx. 1.1 kg
• 1.6 liters of water
• 1 piece(s) lemongrass
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sesame oil or coconut oil
• 2 onions, red or white, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 6 cm ginger, finely diced
• 1 piece(s) galangal, finely diced or thinly sliced
• 1 chili pepper(s), cut into thin rings
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tsp curry paste, yellow
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp instant chicken broth
• ½ tsp sugar or palm sugar
• 2 cans of coconut milk, 400 ml each
• 1 can bamboo shoot(s), approx. 140 g
• 300 g rice noodles, vermicelli (thread noodles) or tagliatelle (ribbon noodles)
• 2 carrots
• 3 handfuls of pak choi, Chinese cabbage or pointed cabbage
• 2 handfuls of bean sprouts
• 2 handfuls of mushrooms, e.g. Enoki mushrooms or button mushrooms
• 1 handful of leeks or spring onions
• 2 handfuls of coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 lime(s), cut into 6 wedges
• possibly chili oil or chili sauce
• possibly soy sauce
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

traditional and very aromatic noodle soup from Laos, Hmong cuisine, known throughout Southeast Asia, wedding soup

The soup is also known as Kapoon Soup, Red Curry Noodle Soup Laos, Red Curry Noodle Soup, Lao Laksa For the stock: Put cold water in a pot and add a little salt. Halve the lemongrass lengthwise and pound it lightly with the back of a knife, then add it. Cut the chicken into four pieces, add the chicken legs and wings completely to the water, making sure the meat is covered with water. Bring everything to a boil. Let the chicken simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove the meat and let it cool slightly. Reserve the chicken stock. Use a fork to remove the meat from the bones and shred it with a fork. Remove the skin, bones and lemongrass. Defatt the chicken stock by pouring it through a sieve lined with kitchen paper. For the soup: Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the diced onions until translucent. Add the diced garlic, ginger and galangal and sweat briefly while stirring. Add the red curry paste, yellow curry paste, and chili pepper, stir, and fry briefly. Add half a can of coconut milk and stir. Add the finely shredded meat, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add instant chicken stock. Add the fish sauce. Add the sugar or palm sugar. Add the remaining coconut milk. Pour in the skimmed chicken stock. Add the kaffir lime leaves. Add the bamboo shoots, stir, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and chili oil or hot chili sauce, if desired. For the soup garnish: Place the rice noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water with a little salt added. Let the rice noodles simmer for 5–10 minutes, depending on their thickness, then drain. Rinse the noodles with cold water and drain well. Drizzle a drizzle of sesame oil over the noodles and mix gently to prevent them from sticking together. Depending on your preference or what’s available, add some of the following ingredients to the soup: 2 carrots, finely sliced ​​or coarsely grated. 2 handfuls of pak choi, Chinese cabbage, or pointed cabbage, thinly sliced. 2 handfuls of Asian mushrooms, such as enoki mushrooms or button mushrooms, thinly sliced. 2 handfuls of bean sprouts. 2 handfuls of leeks or spring onions, sliced ​​or ringed. Serve the soup in large (Asian) soup bowls or soup plates. First, add the prepared noodles to the soup bowls. Then add the vegetables, mushrooms, sprouts, etc., over the noodles. Finally, ladle the hot soup with the meat over the top. Garnish the soup with chopped cilantro, a lime wedge, and a chili pepper, and serve immediately. You can also garnish the soup with boiled eggs (quail eggs), meatballs, mint leaves, dill or Thai basil, finely chopped banana blossom, etc. You can add hot chili sauce, soy sauce, etc. to the table. The soup is eaten with chopsticks and a spoon. The soup tastes much better with meat and bones than with just boneless meat. The soup freezes very well. Then you can add the noodles and fresh ingredients fresh.