Khao piak sen – Lao noodle soup

Ingredients

• 700 g bone-in chicken thighs
• 1.5 l water
• 1 onion, halved
• 20 g ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 200 g rice flour
• 200 g tapioca starch
• about 3 dl boiling water for noodles
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• 4 tbsp crispy fried shallots
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper

Method

1. 1Gently simmer chicken with 1.5 l water, onion and ginger for 35–40 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and strain stock.
2. 2Mix rice flour and tapioca starch. Gradually add boiling water while stirring with a spoon. Once cool enough to handle, knead until smooth and soft; the water quantity may vary slightly.
3. 3Roll dough to about 3 mm thick on a surface dusted with tapioca starch. Cut into noodles 5 mm wide.
4. 4Remove chicken bones and shred meat. Bring stock to the boil, season with fish sauce and salt and cook noodles in it for 4–6 minutes until tender. Return chicken.
5. 5Serve with spring onion, coriander, crispy fried shallots, pepper and lime wedges.