Khao Soi with Dill Pickles and Onion Rings

Traditional egg noodles in Thai yellow coconut curry.

Khao soi is the kind of dish that feels like a contradiction until you eat it.

A Northern Thai curry noodle soup built on coconut milk and yellow curry paste, it’s rich but bright, comforting but sharp, soft noodles tangled beneath something crisp. Traditionally, you get two textures at once: tender egg noodles in the broth and a small pile of fried noodles on top, along with lime, herbs, and pickled mustard greens to cut through the creaminess. It’s a bowl designed around contrast: fat and acid, silk and crunch, heat and relief.

This version leans into the spirit rather than the rules. Wide, familiar egg noodles stand in for the thinner wonton-style strands, turning the base into something a little more comforting and pantry-friendly. Instead of fried noodles, a tangle of homemade onion rings brings the crunch: golden, irregular, and unapologetically dramatic. And where pickled mustard greens usually add their sour edge, chopped dill pickles step in with the same vinegary brightness, sharper, simpler, and easier to keep around. It’s still khao soi: creamy, spicy, tangy, and layered. Just built with the confidence that sometimes the pantry already knows what it’s doing.

Dill pickles and fried onions meet a classic northern Thai dish.

The Recipe

Makes 1 drink.

Ingredients

For the curry

• 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 3–4 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste (to taste)

• 2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

• 12 oz egg noodles

• Salt, to taste

For the onion rings

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ cup milk (for soaking)

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• Neutral oil, for frying

To serve

• Chopped dill pickles

• Fresh cilantro leaves

• Sliced scallions

• Lime wedges

Directions

1. Make the fried onions.
   Place the sliced onion in a bowl and cover with milk. Let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat about 1½ inches of oil in a heavy pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking.

   Drain the onions well and toss with the flour and cornstarch until lightly coated. Fry in batches until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside.

2. Start the curry.
   In a large pot over medium heat, spoon off the thick cream from the top of one can of coconut milk and add it to the pot. Stir in the yellow curry paste and cook until fragrant and slightly glossy, 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

3. Build the broth.
   Add the remaining coconut milk, carrots, and chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 15–20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

4. Cook the noodles.
   While the curry simmers, cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

5. Assemble
   Divide the noodles among four bowls. Ladle the curry over the top. Finish each bowl with chopped dill pickles, a generous handful of fried onions, cilantro, and scallions.

Serve

Serve hot with lime wedges on the side. Squeeze liberally. The bowl should be creamy, crunchy, and tangy.