Vegan Khow Suey

Vegan Khow Suey is an amazing Burmese coconut-based noodle soup. It’s a combination of flavors from India, China, Malaysia, Thai etc in one bowl.

I have a special place for Burma in my memory. No, I have never been to Burma (also known as Myanmar) but my late grandfather who was in the British Indian army went to Burma during World War II. I have heard that he almost lost his life there when a bomb was dropped on a huge tree under which he was standing just a few seconds ago.

Thankfully, he later returned home safely to share his thrilling war stories with his children and grandchildren. Though I was very young when my grandfather passed away, years later of World War II, I don’t remember the stories he shared directly with us but my father still keeps on recalling those brave stories, remembering his dear father. So whenever I think of Burma, I think of my grandfather and my father.

My other association with Burma is in the stories of Burmese refugees which my mother shared with us. After a few years of my parent’s marriage, my father got posted to a small town called Tanakpur in Uttarakhand, India. I was born in Tanakpur and at that time my elder sister (Ruchi didi) was also a toddler. If you have read my older blogs you must be knowing that my father has worked with BRO (Border Roads Organization). Outside the boundary wall of BRO campus in Tanakpur, there was a Burmese camp, where the Indian Government had settled the refugees from Burma. Very often, my mother used to spend her free time near the boundary wall of our campus to talk to the Burmese ladies and made a few Burmese friends also. Standing there across the wall, they used to discuss a lot of things family, kids, recipes…..

Today’s recipe of the day is also a Burmese recipe known as Khow Suey however it’s not one of those recipes shared with my mother by those Burmese ladies.

Khow Suey is a coconut based noodle soup in which generally meat is added but I have made its vegan version – Vegan Khow Suey.

Burmese cuisine is a beautiful blend of cuisines from across Asia. You will find a hint of India, China, Malaysia, Thailand and many other beautiful Asian countries in their food.

Khow Suey is also such an amazingly flavourful dish. It is one of my favorite soup recipes and it’s so wholesome that you don’t feel like eating anything else after having a bowl of Khow Suey

So if you want to try all the amazing Asian flavors in one bowl, do try this recipe at home.

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How to make Khow Suey?

Recipe:

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients for paste:

• Dry red chilies: 5-6/ as per taste
• Coriander seeds: 1 tablespoon
• Garlic cloves: 5-6
• Ginger: 1-inch piece
• Roughly chopped red onion: 1

Ingredients for curry:

• Gram flour (besan): 2 tablespoons
• Coconut milk: 200 ml
• Chopped vegetables of your choice: 2 cups (I have used mushroom, french beans, carrot, and cauliflower)
• Turmeric powder: ½ a teaspoon
• Lemongrass: 1 stalk
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons

Ingredients for garnishing

• Onion: 1 small
• Garlic cloves: 4-5
• Roasted peanuts : 3 tablespoons
• Noodles: 1 cup (Unboiled)
• Coriander leaves: ½ a cup
• Lime: 1
• Chili flakes: 1 tablespoon / as per taste( optional)
• Chopped red/ green chilies: 1-2
• Oil: 1 cup for frying the onions and garlic
• Corn flour: ½ a teaspoon

Other ingredients:

• Boiled noodles: 4 cups

Method of preparing the paste:

• Soak the red chilies in hot water for around 10 minutes and then throw away the water
• Put the soaked chilies and all the remaining ingredients of the paste in a grinder and make a fine paste

Preparing the garnishing:

• Thinly slice the onions, sprinkle some cornflour and deep fry. Once golden brown, take the onions out on a tissue paper
• Make thin slices of garlic cloves and deep fry them too. Once golden brown, take them out on a tissue paper
• Now take a cup of un-boiled noodles and fry them till they become light brown. Keep them aside
• Finely chop green chilies and coriander leaves and cut lime wedges

Method of preparing the curry:

• Take a pan and dry roast chickpea powder for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously till the raw smell of chickpea goes away and it starts changing color
• Mix the roasted chickpea flour with ¼ cup of water and make a lump-free paste. Keep it aside
• Now heat oil in a wok and add the onion paste to it. Fry the paste for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, till it starts leaving oil
• Add in the salt, turmeric powder, and chopped vegetables. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously
• Now add in the chickpea paste, mix well
• Add water and crushed lemongrass stalk and let it boil for 4-5 minutes
• After 4-5 minutes, add coconut milk to the soup, stir for around 1 minute and then let it cook for next 5-6 minutes
• Switch off the gas
• Remove the crushed lemongrass stalk from curry

How to serve Khow Suey:

• Put around a cup of boiled noodles in a serving bowl. Pour soup around it.
• Now put the garnishing of your choice on top of it and enjoy this wholesome bowl of flavors and comfort