Tag Archives: cuisine

The Joi of Khao Soi

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I want you to close your eyes and dream about Thailand with me. As I’ve mentioned before, during the 90s I owned an adventure travel business focused on Southeast and South Asia. I spent many months poking around the hidden corners of Laos, Burma, Vietnam, India, Nepal, Bhutan……but there is one place that I can truly call my home-away-from-home: Thailand.

Khao Soi Noodle Soup

Photo Courtesy of David Hagerman at Easting Asia (LINK)

As the gateway to Southeast Asia, Thailand is easy to navigate, has unbelievably friendly people, a great diversity of interesting sights, stunning countryside and, most importantly, the best food in Asia. Hands down. Sorry to you Indiaphiles or Vietnamists, I believe the Thais have it. Food is such an inextricable element of the culture in Thailand, much like in Italy it dominates much of the experience. Also like Italy, Thai food is quite regional: from seafood and spicy curry in the South, to grilled meats and papaya salad in the Northeast. They’ve borrowed the best influences from their neighbors, incorporating elements of Malay, Indian, Chinese and even Burmese traditions into their culinary fabric.

Today’s journey takes us to a Burmese influenced dish called Khao Soi. Let us start with our old friend Wikipedia:

Khao soi or Khao soy (Thai: ข้าวซอย) is a Burmese-influenced dish served in northern Laos and northern Thailand, especially Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai, respectively. In northern Laos, this dish is a soup made with wide rice noodles, coarsely chopped pork, tomatoes, fermented soy beans, chillies, shallots, and garlic, then topped with pork rind, bean sprouts, chopped scallions, and chopped cilantro. In northern Thailand, it is a soup-like dish made with deep-fried crispy egg noodles, pickled cabbage, shallots, lime, nam prik pao, and meat in a curry-like sauce containing coconut milk. The curry is similar to that of yellow or Massaman curries but is thinner. Some recipes use Massaman curry in the dish. Though northern Lao people have a special way of preparing this dish, different versions of it can be found at Lao restaurants. It is popular as a street dish eaten by Thai people, though not frequently served in Western Thai restaurants.

So, let’s get on to the dream sequence. It’s a hot day in the Chiang Mai. Lunch time. (Khao Soi is a lunch dish, as are most noodle fare – so stop ordering Pad Thai for dinner – in fact, stop ordering Pad Thai at all, there are so many other better Thai noodle dishes – but that’s another post). We’re on a motorbike poking around the city, exhaust and dust kicks up from thousands of other motorbikes clogging the streets. Under a hot tin roof there is a gaggle of people seated on plastic chairs hovered over big bowls, slurping up noodles buried under hunks of stewed meat and crunchy, pickled veggies. The steam from a curry-rich, sweet and savory broth billows into their faces and all you can think about is the Thai word “Hom”, which means aromatic.

Chiang Mai Khao Soi Shop

Photo Courtesy of David Hagerman at Easting Asia (LINK)

We park our bike on the shoulder and take a seat. The sound of Thai people chattering can resemble crickets or cicadas in the jungle (if you’ve never heard this sound click here to listen) – it is cacophonous, yet soothing at the same time. We order startlingly cold Singha Beer. We wait for our Khao Soi. It can take a while, so maybe a few beers are in order. Our heads start to swim a little bit in anticipation of something exquisite and numbed by the Singha. Maybe it takes so long for the soup to arrive because you have to get mentally prepared. Khao Soi is best served relaxed.

At last the bowls arrive. Thai are big fans of self-seasoning. Khao Soi has a specific lineup: sour picked veggies, roasted chili paste, lime and raw shallots. We play with the seasoning, adjust for spiciness and begin to pray over the bowl. Crunchy noodles that sit on top and when mixed with the broth and the wet noodles, add a contrast that defines Khao Soi, to me. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender (chicken or beef or both) and has absorbed the flavor of this powerful broth. An occasional bite of a veggie or shallot adds another layer of texture an flavor that evokes a smile or a nod. We scoop the coconut broth with our spoons in tandem with our noodle and meat foraging. We start to sweat. Ahhhh.

Thai Massage

Thai Massage

Nothing follows a spicy, heady, noodle fest like a Thai massage. It is almost essential to unscramble your body and brain. In San Francisco, you can have them both, within a block of each other. Last week I received a text from the owner of Grand Pu Bah: “Hello! I have Northern-style spice curry noodle today. Cheer!!!”. I text back: “Khao Soi??!!!”. It’s a special that shows up on the menu rarely and is unlike any of their other ‘refined’ Thai dishes. It’s rustic and raunchy – just like you’ll find on the streets of Chiang Mai. If you have a chance to track this special down, don’t miss it! And…….Suchada Thai massage is 1/2 block down the street. Ahhhh.

Meatballs

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I can’t get a break! I’ve been traveling for three weeks and for the most part everyone has commented that they enjoyed keeping up with my posts. But today one of my cherished readers complained that there were not enough recipes on the site. Sheesh. Ok, well this one if for you. Let me warn you though, this is real food here. Not some make-your-own-granola-bar stuff. We’re talking balls. Yes, it’s time for meatballs.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

As you may have guessed, I have an opinion about this. But first, let’s consult wikipedia for some clarification “In Italy, meatballs are known as polpette and are generally eaten as a main course or in a soup [not with pasta]. The main ingredients of an Italian meatball are: beef and or pork and sometimes turkey, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, olive oil, romano cheese, eggs, bread crumbs and parsley, mixed and rolled by hand to a golf ball size. In the Abruzzo Region of Italy, especially in the Province of Teramo the meatballs are typically the size of marbles and are called polpettine.” 

So, understand that what we call meatballs isn’t a very italian creating. Word has it that when Italians immigrated here they wanted to revel in the bounty of their American success and the modern meatball came to be. How it got tossed on top of pasta is a mystery, but there is something right about it. I’m a huge fan of Sicilian-influenced hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants (Gaspare’s in the Richmond reigns supreme). Give me chicken parm, lasagna and yes, spaghetti and meatballs any day!

I’ve made a lot of meatballs in my life. I credit my mother for my passion. She makes damn good meatballs. She’s half Italian, so that makes me a quarter. And while I don’t think it was specifically every Sunday when we were rewarded with mom’s spaghetti and meatballs, it kinda felt like that (the jewish part of us probably did Chinese on Sundays more frequently). As with most of my recipes, it’s mostly about concepts, with infinite variations available. Creativity rewards intrepid cooks.

Let’s start with the meat. My favorite combination is 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground pork, 1/3 ground veal. I’ve done all-veal, 1/2 pork, 1/2 veal, all beef. Play around and see what works for you. Yesterday I grabbed a chuck roast of 100% grass-fed beef and ground it up myself (I love grinding meat – not only does it produce a better texture, but it just feels more in touch with the food source). Mix your meat together well and now you have your base.

EDITORS NOTE: Lately I’ve been playing around with some recipes that include grinding some cured meats into the mixture. This has an amazing effect on the final outcome. Grab some prosciutto or some salumi (coppa works great) and toss it into the grinder (consider just a couple of ounces). Similarly, a good hunk of lardo brings some awesome flavor and texture.

Optionally, you might consider some onions, shallots or leeks. It’s not essential, but depending on your objective, could add some amazing flavor. A good yellow onion will do fine. Get it soft in olive oil and let it cool down. Adding hot onions starts to cook the meat and gives you dense spots in the meatballs. Yesterday I melted some leeks and accidentally charred them a bit (jet lag complicates cooking) but the result was welcomed.

Raw Meatballs

Raw Meatballs

Dairy and bread are also optional, yet welcomed additions. Lately I’ve been adding a creamy ricotta. The result is a fluffier ball with a rich flavor. I also take a brioche or Italian batard and throw it in the food processor. I prefer fresh bread crumbs to dry or stale for meatballs. If you are not using ricotta, I’d soak the breadcrumbs in milk. I also add an ample handful of cheese at this point. Typically romano or parmigiano – experimentation is welcomed here. Add one egg per pound of meat.

Seasoning comes next. Dried herbs tend to work better than fresh, except in the case of parsley. I often will just add salt, pepper and some chili flakes. Oregano is cool. Thyme works. If you want to get tricky, try fried sage and porcini mushrooms [chopped finely] or fried basil and roasted peppers. I like to fry fresh herbs, it gives them better crumble and doesn’t kick you in the teeth with too much flavor. Add ample salt and pepper.

It is very important to mix your meatballs by hand. This is where the love is imparted. If you don’t get meat on your hands, you’re not making meatballs. Cook one and taste it. Adjust for seasoning and texture.

Cooking Meatballs

Cooking Meatballs

There are a few ways to cook meatballs. I like a little crust on the outside, but soft in the middle. To get this, you fry on a low flame in olive and then finish in a pot of sauce before they are fully cooked through. If you are not using tomato sauce, take some beef stock (good stuff, not the crap in the box) and poach the meatballs in a sheet tray in the oven. Don’t feel like you have to use tomato sauce. One of my favorite variations is to serve meatball in a puddle of some stock, pan drippings and a little olive oil with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a warm crusty loaf of bread. Or put them on a bed of baby arugula tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. Yum.

So, there you are. Go out and become meatball masters my little ones. And like anything in life, practice makes perfect. While we’re on the subject, if you’re looking for a good meatball around San Francisco, I’d suggest trying A16, Delfina, Gaspares and Piccino! Or, try to swing an invite from the zealot!