Urban Burma’s Ono Kao Sweh (Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup)

EatingWell October 2021, p. 84

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons canola oil plus 2 teaspoons, divided

1 cup sliced onion

3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 14-ounce cans light coconut milk

1/3 cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour

1/3 cup water

12 ounces fresh Asian egg noodles

Hard-boiled eggs, red chile powder, chopped red onion, fresh cilantro & lime wedges for garnish

Never say no to fresh ginger!

I needed more specificity about what "Asian egg noodles" meant. I grabbed these at random and they did the job ok.

Toss chicken with fish sauce, garlic, ginger and turmeric in a medium bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Push the onion to the side and add the chicken. 

Welcome to the party, chicken!

Cook, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Sitr in broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Whisk garbanzo bean flour with water in a small bowl until smooth. Ladle in some of the hot soup and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture into the soup and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and toss the noodles with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Garnish with eggs, chile powder, red onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, if desired. Serve immediately.

I know the lime is listed as a garnish, but I highly recommend squeezing it into the broth to add a wonderful flavor injection.

My Rating: 5/5 "There a lot to love in here. There's really, really tender chicken. There's a great combination of textures (especially if you count the egg.) There's the comfort of the noodles in the middle of everything else. My only struggle was getting the besan to mix into the soup without clumping, but I have a feeling that was a me-issue and not a recipe-issue. Give this a try and be happy!"