Qhaub Poob [Khao Poon] (Red Curry Chicken Noodle Soup)
Qhaub poob is a type of coconut curry chicken (or fish & or pork) noodle soup that is eaten in Laos. In Lao, this dish is called and spelled either as Kapoon or Khao Poon. In the Hmong Leeg dialect, we call it qhaub poob.
Ingredients
For the chicken broth
- 1 (2lb) chicken with bone/skin on cut [I use brown hen or rooster for best flavor]
- 4 quarts water (16 cups)
- 1 Tbsp salt (18g)
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder (10g) [Totole brand]
- 1 bundle lemongrass leaf (10g) or (1 lemongrass stalk)
- 8 whole kaffir lime leaves (3g)
- 2 slices galangal (11g)
For the curry paste saute
- 3 Tbsp oil (I used the chili oil from the bamboo in chili oil)
- 1/2 cups minced shallots (74g)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic (40g)
- 2 Tbsp finely minced lemongrass stalk (22g)
- 1 Tbsp finely mined kaffir lime leaves (5g)
- 1 lb ground pork (453g)
- 1 tsp salt (6g)
- 228 grams Mae Ploy red curry paste
- 342 grams Namya curry paste (Maesri brand)
- 1 liter coconut cream (I used Aroy D)
To finish the broth
- Shredded chicken from earlier
- 283.4 grams pork meatballs (quartered) [optional]
- 700 grams sliced bamboo in chili oil [DRAINED] (I like to use 2 jars of Rolin brand)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (36g)
Shredded cabbage/herb mix
- 1/2 a small cabbage (shredded) or 1/4 of a big one
- 1/4 small purple cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 cups green onion (chopped)
- 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1 cup fresh mint
- 1 cup yardlong beans (diced)
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/2 a banana blossom (cleaned and thinly sliced)
To serve you'll need
- Cooked vermicelli noodles (I cooked 2 full packets of noodles [70.4oz dried weight])
- Chili oil crisp
Instructions
For the chicken broth
- Add everything into a big pot and slightly cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken and aromatics into a bowl and let the chicken cool before shredding it. Reserve the chicken broth for later.
- I like to place the cooked chicken in a mortar and pestle to shred it finer. But you can hand shred it too.
For the curry paste saute
- In a good non stick pan, add in the oil along with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat until the aromatic are slightly soften. Then add in the ground pork and salt. Saute until you no longer see any pink from the pork. Then add in both curry paste. Saute for 2 minutes to release the aromatics. Then add in the coconut cream and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Then transfer all the saute into the reserved chicken broth.
To finish the broth
- Add in the shredded chicken, pork meatballs, DRAINED bamboo in chili oil, and fish sauce. Let everything come to a boil and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Skim off any access oil on the top. And then it's ready to serve! Keep it hot when serving for best taste.
Shredded cabbage/herb mix
- Shred the cabbage thinly and add in all the prepped herbs and yarlong beans into a big bowl. Mix well and set aside until ready to use. Keep the bean sprouts separate when serving. Clean the banana blossom well and thinly slice it. Place it in water with some lime juice so it doesn't oxidize. Leave it in the water as you serve.
Cook the vermicelli noodles
- Follow directions on the back of package.
To serve you'll need in your bowl
- Cooked vermicelli noodles (I like the thicker vermicelli noodles)
- A good ladle of the hot broth
- A good handful of the cabbage/herb mix, bean sprouts, & sliced banana blossom
- Optional things I also like to add: Chili oil crisp and more fish sauce if you want more saltiness.
- Stir everything and enjoy it while it's still hot.
Notes
OPTIONAL items you can also add which I don't usually like to add due to preference: Quail eggs, canned baby corn, cooked pork blood chunks. The broth will actually taste better the next day as all the aromatics and herbs gets to bloom overtime.
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