Name: Burmese coconut noodles with chicken
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Burmese
Ingredients: 4 tbsp peanut oil; 2 small or medium onions, finely chopped; 50g ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 1 green or red bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1kg skinless chicken thighs fillets, diced; 3 tsp paprika; 5 tsp ground turmeric; 50ml fish sauce, plus extra to taste; 1½ litres chicken stock; 400g tin coconut milk; 4 asian or round shallots, peeled; 4 tbsp toasted chickpea flour; 400g cooked egg noodles (can use dried or fresh, cooked according to pack instructions); medium-boiled eggs, halved and quartered; asian or round shallots, peeled and sliced; 4 spring onions, finely sliced; coriander, chopped; 2 limes, cut into wedges; dried roasted chillies (optional); a handful flat medium rice noodles, fried in a deep fryer until puffed (optional)

A bowl of noodles with half a boiled egg on top and a wooden spoon on a wooden table

4 tbsp peanut oil
2 small or medium onions
finely chopped
50g ginger
peeled and finely chopped
1 green or red bird’s-eye chilli
finely chopped
4 garlic cloves
finely chopped
1kg skinless chicken thighs fillets
diced
3 tsp paprika
5 tsp ground turmeric
50ml fish sauce
plus extra to taste
1½ litres chicken stock
400g tin coconut milk
4 asian or round shallots
peeled
4 tbsp toasted chickpea flour
400g cooked egg noodles
(can use dried or fresh, cooked according to pack instructions)

TOPPING

medium-boiled eggs
halved and quartered
asian or round shallots
peeled and sliced
4 spring onions
finely sliced
coriander
chopped
2 limes
cut into wedges
dried roasted chillies
(optional)
a handful flat medium rice noodles
fried in a deep fryer until puffed (optional)

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a large, sturdy pan over a medium-low heat and cook the onions, ginger, chilli and garlic for 10 minutes until soft and just golden.
step 2
Add the chicken followed by the paprika, turmeric and fish sauce. Keep stirring until the surface of chicken has turned white.
step 3
Add the stock and cook for a further 10 minutes over a medium heat before adding the coconut milk and whole shallots. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is meltingly tender.
step 4
Whisk 500ml of just-boiled water with the toasted chickpea flour in a jug until smooth. When the chicken and coconut broth is velvety and aromatic, gradually add the chickpea flour mixture, whisking continuously until the broth just begins to thicken – but be careful it doesn’t become too thick.
step 5
Taste and add more fish sauce to season, if needed, or a little more water if it needs to be diluted slightly. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.
step 6
Ladle the broth into large, deep bowls along with 60-70g of cooked egg noodles each and the chicken pieces. Top with the boiled eggs, sliced shallots, spring onions, coriander, dried chillies and puffed rice noodles, if using. Squeeze over a lime wedge and serve with extra lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.