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Khao Poon Soup Recipe

Name: Tea House Chinese Restaurants Khao Poon Soup Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 6 cups chicken stock (low sodium); 1 cups coconut milk (full fat); 3 tbs red curry paste; 1 tsp shrimp paste (or fermented fish sauce / pla ra - use 1 tbs if using pla ra); 2 tbs fish sauce; 1 tbs palm sugar (or light brown sugar); 2 tbs lime juice; 1 cups ground chicken (or pork or tofu); 6 oz rice vermicelli (thin khao poon / bee hoon style); 1 tbs galangal (or ginger if unavailable), thinly sliced; 2 stalks lemongrass, white part bruised and sliced; 4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, torn; 2 pcs shallots, thinly sliced; 3 pcs garlic cloves, minced; 3 pcs Thai bird's eye chiles, sliced (adjust); 2 cups bean sprouts; 1 cups shredded cabbage; 1 cups fresh Thai basil leaves; 0.5 cups cilantro leaves; 0.25 cups fresh mint leaves (optional); 0.25 cups thinly sliced red onion or shallot; 2 tbs fried shallots (store-bought or homemade); 2 pcs lime wedges; 2 tsp chili oil (annatto oil or chile-infused oil)

Inspired by Tea House Chinese Restaurant

Time40m

Serves4

Make Khao Poon Soup Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Broth & Soup Base

6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)

1 cups coconut milk (full fat)

3 tbs Red curry paste

1 tsp shrimp paste (or fermented fish sauce / pla ra - use 1 tbs if using pla ra)

2 tbs Fish sauce

1 tbs palm sugar (or light brown sugar)

2 tbs ReaLime juice

Protein & Noodles

1 cups ground chicken (or pork or tofu)

6 oz rice vermicelli (thin khao poon / bee hoon style)

Aromatics & Spices

1 tbs galangal (or ginger if unavailable), thinly sliced

2 stalks lemongrass, white part bruised and sliced

4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, torn

2 pcs shallots, thinly sliced

3 pcs Garlic cloves, minced

3 pcs Thai bird's eye chiles, sliced (adjust)

Vegetables & Garnish

2 cups Bean sprouts

1 cups shredded cabbage

1 cups fresh Thai basil leaves

1/2 cups cilantro leaves

1/4 cups fresh mint leaves (optional)

1/4 cups thinly sliced red onion or shallot

2 tbs fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)

2 pcs Lime wedges

Finishing Oil (optional)

2 tsp chili oil (annatto oil or chile-infused oil)

Method

Broth & Soup Base

Toast aromatics

Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil (not listed separately) and lightly toast the sliced galangal, bruised lemongrass, and torn kaffir lime leaves for 1–2 minutes until fragrant—do not let them brown.

Add the thinly sliced shallots and minced garlic to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and aromatic.

Stir in the red curry paste and shrimp paste. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices and combine with the aromatics.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with the aromatics. Taste and skim any foam or impurities.

Stir in the coconut milk, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously after adding coconut milk to prevent curdling.

Add fish sauce and palm sugar; stir until the sugar dissolves. Adjust saltiness with additional fish sauce if needed.

Protein & Noodles

While the broth simmers, soak rice vermicelli in hot (not boiling) water for 4–6 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside. Alternatively, cook according to package instructions (usually a short soak).

In a small skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook the ground chicken until just cooked through, about 4–6 minutes. Break into small pieces with a spoon. Season lightly with 1/2 tbs fish sauce (from the measured fish sauce) while cooking. Drain any excess liquid and add the cooked ground chicken to the simmering broth. Simmer 3–4 minutes to meld flavors.

Finishing & Seasoning

Turn off heat and stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust balance: add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice for acidity, or palm sugar for sweetness until you reach a savory-sour-slightly-sweet balance typical of khao poon.

If you like heat and color, drizzle 1–2 tsp chili oil into the soup and stir gently.

Serve & Garnish

Divide the drained rice vermicelli among 4 bowls (about 1.5 oz cooked vermicelli per serving). Ladle the hot soup with chicken and aromatics over the noodles.

Top each bowl with bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, Thai basil, cilantro, mint (if using), sliced fresh chiles, and thinly sliced red onion/shallot. Sprinkle fried shallots on top for crunch.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Allow diners to add extra fish sauce, lime, or chili oil to taste.