Lao Khao Soi - Indochina AFF, Laotian Week #1

This is one noodle that I highly recommend if you are a busy person and love to prepare your meals in advance.

It feels like eating instant noodles, but the soup paste is homemade! Awesome!
Just blanch your noodles, top with the meat paste and pour hot water from the kettle and you're done. The meat slices are optional. Better than instant noodles from the packet. I love to keep my sliced coriander and spring onion is a covered container, kept chilled all the time, so that I can sprinkle them on whenever I like.

If you remember, I made Northern Thai Khao Soi for AFF Thailand. The taste between the two is actually very different. It's not meant to be compared. One is closer to what we know as curry and the other closer to zhajiangmian and dandan noodles.

Lao Khao Soi is served with broad rice noodles, what we locally know as Kway Teow or Hor Fun. The tua nao sauce is salty. It is meant to be that way, as a soup concentrate and for it to last long. So, don't be afraid of it.

I had this for breakfast for quite a few days and I love it.

Lao Khao Soi, Luang Namtha style

Adapted from: Food From Northern Laos

600gm fresh broad rice noodles (thin kway tiao)
finely sliced coriander + finely sliced spring onion
1 cup sliced pork
2 L water

Tua Nao sauce
1 cup minced meat (I mixed pork and beef, all lean)
1/4 cup fine bean paste
3 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
20gm chilli powder (around 2 Tbsp)
1 tsp salt
2 Pork stock cubes (you can use chicken)
1 tomato, sliced

Condiments
Lime wedges
Long beans
Thai basil
Mint
Lettuce
and other vegetables according to your preference

Make the Tua Nao sauce.
1. Heat wok and put in around 1/2 cup of oil (use less if meat has fat) and saute shallots and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the bean paste into the wok and cook until it looks glossy and oil separates.
3. Add in chilli powder and continue to saute for about 10 secs until there is no more raw smell.
4. Put in tomato slices and cook until the tomato disintegrates.
5. Add in minced meat and cook until the meat looks dry and oil is seen .
6. Add 1/2 cup of water, salt and pork stock cubes. Cook the sauce until your preferred consistency.

To serve:
1. Bring 2L water to boil, add in pork slices and bring back to a boil until the pork is cooked, won't take long.
2. Place some blanched broad rice noodles into your bowl, top with boiling broth and then add in tua nao paste, around 1 heaped Chinese spoon of it. Sprinkle sliced spring onions and coriander over.
3. Serve it with condiment of choice.

pile on the herbs and veggie and I'm ready to eat!

I am submitting this to Asian Food Fest Indochina Month, 

hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew Cooks