It happened many moons ago, but I still recall every detail of that splendid meal a professor-friend had cooked for us. It was my introduction to khao suey, a Burmese staple that is now readily available in restaurants across India.
I remember the table laden with the many components that led to a good bowl of khao suey. At the centre, a bouquet of aromas wafted out of a large pot of chicken broth, prepared with coconut milk. Another big bowl contained warm noodles. All around the table were little bowls carrying the many garnishes that were needed — from peanuts, burnt garlic, boiled and sliced eggs to chopped coriander leaves and fried onions.
I heaped some noodles and the broth in a bowl. The garnishes went on top, and then I squeezed a piece of lemon over it. And what a meal it was.
I was reminded of this when I asked for khao suey at an Asian restaurant in New Delhi. As I had a spoonful, I asked myself what made the dish so special. The simple answer: it has such varied flavours because of the add-ons. But there is another reason — it is so much easier to have a meal in a bowl!
One-pot meals are convenient, healthy and tasty, and the Southeast Asian ones are quite flavourful as well. In many of these soupy dishes, coconut milk is used to add taste, flavour and body to the broth. Take the laksa, popular in Malaysia, Indonesia and many other parts of the region. The two main elements are the same as those in the khao suey — noodles and soup, prepared with coconut milk. The additional flavours, however, can be different. Laksa is often tempered with Vietnamese coriander leaves (or laksa leaf) and mint. The laksa paste — prepared with a host of ingredients, including chillies, shallots, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste — is now available online and at stores, which makes the cooking process much simpler.
“Laksa is a dish of noodles in a broth or a somewhat thicker soup, but to say that is akin to saying that the Taj Mahal is a building or Bach was a musician,” writes Madhur Jaffrey in ‘A Taste of the Far East’.
Another regional favourite of mine is the Vietnamese pho ga or Hanoi soup — rice noodles in meat stock, garnished with green herbs and meats. The stock is left to simmer overnight with meat bones, ginger and onion. If you want your flavours stronger and spicier, you can have a bowl of ramen noodles, a Japanese wheat-flour noodle dish in a meat broth, seasoned with soy sauce and miso and topped with sliced meat, fermented bamboo shoots, etc.
According to some chefs, one-bowl meals are healthier because these avoid the multi-stage cooking that can lead to a loss in taste and nutrition.
— The writer is a food critic
LAKSA
IngredientsRice noodles 100 g
Laksa paste 3 tbsp
Coconut milk 400 ml
Chicken/vegetable stock 600 ml
Sliced chicken breast 250 g
Shelled/cleaned shrimps 100 g
Brown sugar 2 tsp
Fish sauce 2 tsp
Lime juice 2 tsp
Salt To taste
For garnishing
Deep fried onions, coriander leaves, chopped spring onions and chilli flakes
MethodCook the noodles and keep aside. In a pot, heat the laksa paste, add coconut milk and stock. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimps, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Season. Cook till the chicken is tender and shrimps are done. Remove the pot. Now heat the noodles. In separate bowls, add noodles, ladle some broth over it and garnish with coriander leaves, spring onions, chilli flakes and deep fried onions. Serve hot.
