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Home » Soups

Veg Khao Suey (Khow Suey)

Published: Jul 14, 2022 by Vandana Chauhan. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Veg Khao suey or Khow suey, is a deliciously satisfying Burmese coconut-noodle soup which is served with an array of toppings. It's a combination of flavors from different Asian countries like India, China, Malaysia, and Thailand, in one bowl. Even vegans and vegetarians can enjoy this flavorful noodle soup.

Khao suey with toppings in a white bowl and more toppings in the background.

Though I have never been to Burma (now known as Myanmar) I have a special place for this country in my memory.

My late grandfather who was in the British Indian army went to Burma during World War II and almost lost his life there. He used to share his thrilling war stories with his children and grandchildren. Though I was very young when my grandfather passed away, my father continued sharing those stories with us, remembering his dear father. So whenever I think of Burma, I think of my grandfather and my father.

And, today also when I am sharing the recipe for this delicious Burmese coconut noodle soup- Veg Khao suey, I am thinking of them.

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

So if you want to try all the amazing Asian flavors in one bowl, do try this Veg Khao Suey recipe.

Jump to:
  • What's needed to make veg khao suey?
  • Ingredient notes (Khao Suey toppings)
  • How to make (step by step process)?
  • How to serve?
  • How to store?
  • Recipe tips and tricks
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Other vegan soup recipes with noodles or pasta
  • Recipe

What's needed to make veg khao suey?

To make Khao Suey curry paste, you will the ingredients shown in the image below

Ingredients for veg khao suey curry paste, labelled.

Ingredient notes (curry paste)

  1. Dried red chilies: For reducing heat, remove the seeds of dried red chilies.
  2. Coriander seeds: They are the dried seeds of coriander and can be easily found in the spice section of any Indian grocery store.
  3. Onion: Red onion is the best for this recipe but if you don't have that use whichever variety is available to you.

To make the soup, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredients for vegan khow suey, labelled.

Ingredient notes (curry)

  1. Chickpea flour: It's the powdered form of split Bengal gram (chana dal). It's called chickpea flour because whole Bengal gram is sometimes also called black chickpea. You can find chickpea flour in any South Asian grocery store where it's called besan.
  2. Vegetables: Use vegetables of your choice. I have used cauliflower, carrot, French beans, and mushrooms. You can add broccoli, green peas, zucchini, snow peas, and baby corn. Even, tofu can be used in this recipe.
  3. Turmeric powder: Turmeric gives a bright yellow color to the dish, adds flavor, and has a lot of health benefits. It can be bought from the spice section of any South Asian grocery store.
  4. Cooking oil: Use canola or any neutral flavored cooking oil.

The most interesting part of Burmese Khow suey is the toppings. It's garnished with a lot of ingredients that add flavor and texture to this delicious soup. The ingredients needed for toppings are shown in the image below:

Ingredients for the toppings of Burmese khao suey, labelled.

Ingredient notes (Khao Suey toppings)

  1. Boiled noodles: Any variety can be used.
  2. Corn flour: Also known as corn starch in some countries.
  3. Uncooked noodles: Uncooked noodles are fried and then added to this dish. You can also fry cooked noodles, the way it's done in Manchow soup.
  4. Cooking oil: It's used for deep frying onion, garlic, and noodles. Use vegetable or canola oil.
  5. Roasted peanuts: Use salted roasted peanuts.
  6. Chili flakes and hot chili peppers: If your heat tolerance is low, you may skip one or both of them.

How to make (step by step process)?

Collage of steps 1 to 6 of vegetarian khao soi recipe.

Step 1: Soak dried red chilies in hot water for around 10 minutes. After that discard the water.

Step 2: Put the soaked chilies, coriander powder, ginger, garlic, and onion in a grinding jar.

Step 3: Add around 2-3 tablespoons of water and make a paste.

Step 4: Heat oil in a cooking pot and add the onion-garlic paste to it. Cook for around 4-5 minutes or until the onion is no longer raw.

Step 5: Add salt, turmeric powder, and chopped vegetables.

Step 6: Cook for around 2-3 minutes, stirring in between.

Collage of steps 7 to 12 of vegetarian khao soi recipe.

Step 7: While the vegetables are getting cooked, dry roast chickpea flour in a pan for 3-4 minutes or until it becomes fragrant.

Step 8: Mix the roasted chickpea flour with around ¼ cup of water and make a lump-free paste.

Steps 9 and 10: Add chickpea flour paste to the cooking pot and mix.

Step 11: Add water and crushed lemongrass stalk. Mix everything and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Step 12: Add coconut milk and stir continuously for about a minute.

Collage of steps 13 to 18 of vegetarian khao soi recipe.

Step 13: Cook for 5-6 minutes. Switch off the stove. Remove the lemongrass stalk from the curry and discard it.

Step 14: Put sliced onion in a bowl, sprinkle cornflour, and Toss.

Step 15: Heat oil in a pan and fry onion slices. Once they turn golden brown, take them out on a plate covered with a thick kitchen paper towel.

Step 16: In the same oil deep fry garlic slices until they turn golden brown.

Step 17: Also fry uncooked noodle strands until they turn crunchy and golden brown too

Step 18: Put around ½ a cup of boiled noodles in a serving bowl. Pour some soup over the noodles. Serve with all the toppings on the side.

Your delicious veg Burmese Khao suey is ready to be enjoyed!

Burmese coconut noodle soup with toppings in a white bowl.

How to serve?

Khao suey can be enjoyed as a noodle soup and also as a complete meal. Always serve it hot.

To serve, put around a cup of boiled noodles in a serving bowl. Pour hot soup over it.

Garnish with some toppings and serve extra toppings on the side.

How to store?

To store, allow the soup to reach room temperature then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Store the boiled noodles and toppings separately.

Recipe tips and tricks

  1. For extra flavor, drizzle some toasted sesame oil on top.
  2. If you want to add more heat, drizzle Asian chili oil.
  3. You can also use some lemongrass in khow suey curry paste for a more refreshing flavor. Lime zest can be added too.
  4. If your heat tolerance is low, remove the seeds of red chilies. You can also reduce the number of chilies used or use a less hot variety like Kashmiri red chili.
  5. Feel free to add other toppings of your choice like bean sprouts and spring onion greens.
  6. Add the toppings only before serving otherwise they will lose the crunch.

Frequently asked questions

Are Khao suey and Khao soi the same?

Though they both are coconut-based Asian noodle soups with toppings, Khao suey is a Burmese dish and Khao Soi is a Thai dish. The ingredients used to flavor these soups are also slightly different which changes their taste.

Can rice noodles be used in this recipe?

Yes, you can also use rice noodles or any other noodle of choice in Khao Suey.

Is chickpea flour gluten-free?

Yes, chickpea flour is gluten-free.

Other vegan soup recipes with noodles or pasta

If you like soup with noodles or any pasta in it, don't miss checking the following recipes from around the world:

  1. Tofu noodle soup (Asian)
  2. Veg manchow soup (Asian)
  3. Vegan lasagna soup (Italian)
  4. Vegetable minestrone soup (Italian)
  5. Veg Ash-e-reshteh (Persian)
vegan khao suey with topping and lime wedge served in a white bowl.

If you try any of my recipes, please rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it on the recipe card and also leave your feedback in the comments section below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and subscribe to my youtube channel.

Recipe

Vegetarian khao soi with toppings served in a white bowl.

Vegetarian Khao Suey (Khow suey)

Veg Khao suey or Khow suey, is a deliciously satisfying Burmese coconut-noodle soup which is served with an array of toppings. It's a combination of flavors from different Asian countries like India, China, Malaysia, and Thailand, in one bowl. Even vegans and vegetarians can enjoy this flavorful noodle soup.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Burma, Myanmar
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 946kcal
Author: Vandana Chauhan

Equipment

  • Grinder/ food processor
  • Cooking pot

Ingredients

Ingredients for curry paste

  • 4-5 dried whole red chilies
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 medium-sized red onion roughly chopped

Ingredients for curry

  • 2 cups chopped vegetables I have used French beans, carrot, cauliflower, and button mushrooms
  • 1 stalk lemongrass crushed
  • 1 + ¾ cups coconut milk around 400 ml
  • 1.5 cups water/ vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons gram flour besan
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Ingredients for garnishing

  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh red/ green chili pepper finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons roasted and salted peanuts
  • ¾ cup uncooked noodles around 50 grams
  • 1 lime sliced
  • ½ teaspoon chili flakes
  • ½ teaspoon corn starch
  • Oil for frying onion, garlic, and noodles

Other ingredients

  • 2 cups boiled noodles

Instructions

Prepare the curry paste

  • Soak dried red chilies in hot water for around 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, discard the water. Put the soaked chilies, coriander powder, ginger, garlic, and onion in a grinder. Add around 2-3 tablespoons of water and make a paste.

Prepare the toppings

  • Put sliced onion in a bowl, sprinkle corn starch, and toss. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the onion slices. Once they turn golden brown, take them out on a plate covered with a thick kitchen towel.
  • In the same oil fry garlic slices and noodles one by one until they turn golden brown.

Prepare the curry

  • In a pan, dry roast chickpea flour (besan) for 3-4 minutes or until the raw smell of chickpea flour goes away and it starts changing color. Mix roasted chickpea flour with ¼ cup of water and make a lump-free paste. Keep it aside.
  • Heat oil in a cooking pot and add the onion-garlic paste to it. Cook for around 4-5 minutes or until the onion is no longer raw.
  • Add salt, turmeric powder, and chopped vegetables. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring in between.
  • Next, add the chickpea flour paste and mix. Add water and crushed lemongrass stalk. Mix everything and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  • Finally, add coconut milk. Stir for around 1 minute and then cook for 5-6 minutes. Switch off the stove. Remove the lemongrass stalk from the curry and discard it.

Serving Khow Suey

  • Put around ½ a cup of boiled noodles in a serving bowl. Pour some soup over the noodles.
  • Garnish with some roasted peanuts, fried onion, garlic, noodles, chili flakes, chopped chili peppers, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve extra toppings on the side. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • For extra flavor, drizzle some toasted sesame oil on top.
  • If you want to add more heat, drizzle Asian chili oil.
  • You can also use some lemongrass in khow suey curry paste for a more refreshing flavor. Lime zest can be added too.
  • If your heat tolerance is low, remove the seeds of red chilies. You can also reduce the number of chilies used or use a less hot variety like Kashmiri red chili.
  • Feel free to add other toppings of your choice like bean sprouts and spring onion.
  • Add the toppings only before serving otherwise they will lose the crunch.
  • More recipe tips and tricks are given within the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 946kcal | Carbohydrates: 151g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 961mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5390IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on instagram #greenbowl2soul

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. R Mehta

    September 09, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    Thanks for this wonderful recipe, just loved it. Never thought i could make it in first attempt. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Vandana Chauhan

      September 09, 2023 at 10:45 pm

      Thank you, I am really glad to know that you enjoyed it :). It looks intimidating but is very easy to make.

      Reply
  2. Debbie Knight

    June 25, 2023 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Delicious Khao Suey recipe. Love it!!!!

    Reply
    • Vandana Chauhan

      June 26, 2023 at 8:39 am

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  3. Chef Mireille

    November 06, 2019 at 7:22 am

    I think this is the Burmese version of the Thai Soup - Khao Soi - In this region, many of these recipes changed as boundary lines did. Regardless, I am sure this vegan version is delicious!

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 06, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Thanks a lot for sharing this Mireille. I didn't know that but love learning new things about different cuisines and cultures.

      Reply
  4. Padma Veeranki

    November 04, 2019 at 11:33 pm

    Good to read about your great grandfather. Coming to Vegan khow Suey, it looks like a wholesome, healthy and filling meal. Perfect for the present cold weather condition...Loving this comforting soup ???? ...Would love to try it!!

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 05, 2019 at 8:22 am

      Thanks a lot Padma, hope you enjoy it too 🙂

      Reply
  5. Swati

    November 04, 2019 at 9:31 am

    Loved reading about your post.. my great grandfather(maternal side) too worked in Burma for few years..though I don't have much stories about him.. I love this bowl of wholesome and comforting soup.. looks so inviting, perfect for chilly winters!!

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 04, 2019 at 3:39 pm

      Thanks a lot, Swati. It's great to know about your great grandfather 🙂

      Reply
  6. Mayuri Patel

    November 03, 2019 at 8:35 pm

    Loved reading about your indirect tie to Burma. As for Vegan Show Suey, its looks like a perfect wholesome, healthy and filling meal. I've heard about this soup but have not had a chance to try out it as yet.

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 04, 2019 at 3:39 pm

      Thanks a lot Mayuri 🙂

      Reply
  7. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

    November 03, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    This is absolutely my kind of lunch recipe for the weekend! Good to read about your grandfather's safe return.

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 03, 2019 at 8:15 pm

      Thanks a lot for your sweet comment Sandhya :).

      Reply
  8. Shobha Keshwani

    November 03, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    I have tasted this in my friend's house. It is so delicious and healthy.

    Reply
    • Greenbowl2soul

      November 03, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      Thanks Shobha.

      Reply
  9. Deepak Karnik

    December 24, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Brave family and glorious past at present u right super chef????????❤

    Reply
    • [email protected]

      December 24, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      Thanks a lot Deepak for your encouraging words 🙂

      Reply

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Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vandana Chauhan and I am on a mission to explore vegan/ vegetarian recipes from around the world. I am delighted to welcome you to join me on this exciting journey.

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