116 GOURMET TRAVELLER
2 blackcardamompods
(seenote),cracked,
shellsdiscarded
6 staranise
60 ml(¼cup)vegetableoil,
plusextrafordeep-frying
1 tbspgroundturmeric
35 gmginger,peeledand
sliced
800 gmbonelessbeefshank,
trimmedandcutinto
2.5cmpieces
1 tbspdarksoysauce
1 tsprawsugar
580 gmfreshflateggnoodles
375 ml(1½cups)coconutmilk
375 ml (1½ cups) coconut creamChoppedcorianderand
springonions,toserve
Slicedredshallots,chopped
Yunnanesepickledmustard
greens(seenote)andlime
wedges,toserve
Chillioilandfish sauce,
toserve
CURRYPASTE
10 largedriedredchillies
(seenote)
20 gmginger(about4cm),
sliced
1 onion,chopped
3 goldenorredshallots,
sliced
8 garlic cloves, slicedMuslim-
stylebeef
khao soi1 Forcurrypaste,bringchillies
andenoughwatertocoverbya
fewcentimetrestotheboilin a
smallsaucepan.Removefrom
heatandsteepfor 15 minutes.
Drain,thenwhencoolenough
tohandle,removeanddiscard
seeds.Poundchilliesand2 tsp
salttoa coarsepastewitha
mortarandpestle.Addginger
andpoundtoa coarsepaste.
Addonion,shallotandgarlic,
andpoundtoa smoothpaste.
(Becauseoftheliquidin these
ingredients,thislaststepis
easiestusinga blender.)Curry
pastewillkeeprefrigeratedin
anairtightcontainerfora week.
2 Dry-roastcardamomin a wok
overlow-mediumheat,stirring
untilslightlydarkandfragrant
(10minutes;seecook’snotes).
Finelygrindwitha mortarand
pestle.Repeatwithstaranise.
3 Heatoilina largesaucepan
over low-medium heat. AddKHAOSOINUEAMuslim-style beef khao soi
SERVES4-6“Khaosoinueais a unionofdisparateelements,”saysAustinBush.
“Arich,creamy,subtlyfragrantbroth,tenderslow-cookedbeef,a
crunchygarnish,andovertlyacidicsidesthatculminateinoneof
the country’s greatest noodle dishes.” Begin this recipe a day ahead.currypaste,turmeric,ginger,
1 tbspgroundcardamomand
2 tspgroundstaraniseand
fry,stirringoccasionally,until
fragrantanda thinlayerofoil
beginstoemerge(20minutes).
Increaseheattomedium.
Addbeefandfry,stirring
occasionally,untiljustfirm
(5minutes).Addsoysauce,
sugarand250mlwaterand
increaseheattohigh.Bringto
theboil,reduceheattolowand
simmer,coveredfor1 hour,then
openlidslightlyandsimmer
untilbeefis verytenderand
a layerofoilrisestothetop
(1-1½hours).Seasontotaste;
curryshouldtastemeatyand
slightlysalty,andit shouldbe
fragrantfromthedriedspices.
Coverandrefrigerateovernight
forflavourstodevelop.
4 Thenextday,heat3.5cm
oilto160°Cina wokoverhigh
heat.(If youdon’thavea
thermometer,theoilis ready
whena noodlesizzlesinstantly
intheoil;it shouldn’tbe
smokinghot.)Carefullyadd
20gmnoodlestotheoiland
deep-fryuntilcrisp(30seconds).
Removewitha slottedspoon
anddrainonpapertowels.
Repeatwiththreemore
20gmbatches.
5 Warmupcurry,addinga few
tablespoonsofwatertothin,if
necessary.Bringcoconutmilk
andcreamtoa gentlesimmer
ina smallsaucepanover
low-mediumheat.Bring15cm
watertoa boilina stockpot
overhighheat.Boilremaining
noodlesin batchesina basket,
agitatingbasketuntilnoodles
arejusttender(20seconds).
Drainandaddtoservingbowls.
Topwitha largeladleofbeef
curryanda largeladleof
coconutmilkmixture(about
125mleach).Garnishwith
coriander,springonionand
friednoodles,andservewith
shallot,pickledgreens,lime,
chillioilandfishsauce.
NoteBlackcardamomis
availablefromselectspice
shops,Herbie’sSpicesand
fromthespicepeople.com.au.
Yunnanesepickledmustard
greensareavailablefromAsian
grocers.Largedriedchilliesare
available from Thai grocers.