Thai Goat and Noodle Soup (Khao Soi)

Family Meal, Rewarms Well

Dana Younkin, the chef de cuisine of Boulevard, my wife’s restaurant, oversees the cooking line and provides ideas to keep the menu exciting. I asked her to give me a recipe for the kind of food she likes to eat at home when she doesn’t have to impress a roomful of paying guests. She chose khao soi, a simple noodle soup from Thailand,
where her parents have roots. Khao soi is a popular dish eaten at home or at simple stalls on the street. It is made
with goat or lamb, or beef, chicken, or pork. Fresh kaffir lime leaves have a wonderful aromatic flavor. If you can’t find them, substitute grated lime zest.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds boneless goat shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks

KHAO SOI MARINADE:

• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• Juice of 1 lime

SOUP:

• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (do not shake the can before opening)
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons turmeric
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves discarded, tender inner leaves chopped
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves (see Sources) or 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), or 3 tablespoons soy sauce plus 2 teaspoons unsulfured molasses,
• or more to taste
• ¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice, or more to taste
• 8 cups homemade chicken stock, canned low-sodium chicken broth, or water
• 1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (available in most Asian grocery stores) or dried linguine

GARNISH:

• 2 cups bean sprouts
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
• ½ cup thinly sliced scallions

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Marinade: Place the meat in a bowl. Combine the marinade ingredients and rub all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Soup: Remove the “cream” on top of the coconut milk and add it to a large pot. Reserve the remaining liquid. Heat the cream over medium heat until it is fragrant and separating. Add the red curry paste and turmeric and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the remaining soup ingredients and the reserved coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the goat meat and its marinade. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and add more red curry paste if you want the soup spicy. Cover and continue to simmer for a total of 1½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Adjust the seasonings, adding more kecap manis, fish sauce, and/or lime juice to taste. Remove the lime leaves.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles until tender and drain.
5. Divide the noodles among six large shallow bowls. Ladle the meat and soup over the noodles and serve with the garnishes.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Goat ribs; boneless beef short ribs or chuck; Boston butt or country-style pork ribs (reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes); or boneless lamb shoulder or shoulder chops.

LEFTOVER:

• This soup rewarms very well. Gently reheat and serve over freshly cooked noodles.