Short Rib Khao Soi

Ingredients

• 3 lb 1.36 kg bone-in English-cut beef short ribs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp neutral high-heat oil
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 cans / 27 oz 800 ml full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 cups 710 ml unsalted or low-sodium beef stock
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 16 oz 454 g fresh or dried Chinese-style egg noodles, divided
• as needed neutral high-heat oil, for frying ~4 oz of the noodles
• 1 cup pickled mustard greens, drained and chopped
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• for serving Thai chile oil or chile crisp, for serving
• optional fresh cilantro leaves
• optional extra fish sauce, for adjusting individual bowls

Instructions

1. Pat the short ribs thoroughly dry. Season all sides with the kosher salt.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the short ribs until deeply browned on the major surfaces, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pot — the goal is genuine browning rather than steaming.
3. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. If the pot contains excessive rendered beef fat, carefully remove most of it, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon behind. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil if needed for blooming the curry.
5. Add the red curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until intensely aromatic. Do not burn the curry paste.
6. Open the coconut milk without aggressively shaking it first if it has naturally separated. Add approximately 1 cup of the thick coconut portion to the curry paste.
7. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the curry becomes glossy, aromatic, and begins showing visible oil separation. This blooming stage is important to the flavor of the curry.
8. Gradually stir in the remaining coconut milk. Add the beef stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, and palm sugar. Stir until combined.
9. Return the short ribs and accumulated juices to the pot. The liquid should surround most of the meat without requiring the ribs to be completely submerged.
10. Bring the curry just to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and reduce heat to low. Braise approximately 2.5-3 hours, turning the ribs occasionally. The ribs are ready when the meat is fork-tender, the connective tissue has softened, and the meat pulls away from the bone easily. Tenderness is more important than an exact clock time.
11. Carefully transfer the short ribs to a tray. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones and any large pieces of excess fat or connective tissue that remain unpleasantly tough. Break the beef into large bite-size pieces. Do NOT finely shred it into stringy beef — the short rib should remain substantial.
12. Skim excessive rendered fat from the curry surface if necessary. Do not remove all of it — a small amount of beef/coconut fat contributes flavor and body. Return the short-rib meat to the curry.
13. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust if needed with fish sauce for salt/umami, palm sugar for balance, or lime for acidity. The finished curry should taste savory, aromatic, rich, gently sweet, spicy, and balanced by acidity. It should not taste like sugary coconut soup.
14. Reserve approximately 4 oz / 115 g egg noodles for frying. Heat approximately 1.5-2 inches of neutral oil in a sturdy saucepan or wok to 350F / 175C.
15. Separate the noodles into small loose nests. Fry in small batches until puffed, crisp, and golden — approximately 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Use appearance and crispness as the final cue. Transfer to a rack or paper-towel-lined tray. Do not heavily salt because the curry and fish sauce already provide seasoning.
16. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the remaining egg noodles according to their package instructions until just tender. Fresh noodles may cook extremely quickly. Do not hardcode an inaccurate universal noodle time. Drain thoroughly.
17. Divide the soft noodles among six large serving bowls.
18. Place generous pieces of braised short rib over each portion of noodles.
19. Ladle the hot coconut curry broth over the noodles and beef.
20. Crown each bowl with a nest of crispy fried noodles.
21. Serve with pickled mustard greens, thinly sliced shallot, lime wedges, Thai chile oil, and optional cilantro. Preferably serve some garnishes alongside so each diner can balance the bowl.

Chef's Notes

CRACKING/BLOOMING THE COCONUT CURRY: Cooking the curry paste with the richer coconut portion concentrates the aromatics and creates a deeper curry base. Don't skip this step. SHORT RIBS: Bone-in short ribs contribute gelatin and beef flavor during the long braise. Boneless short ribs will work but the broth will be less rich. NOODLES: Khao soi's two noodle textures are essential — soft boiled egg noodles underneath and crispy fried noodles on top. Don't skip the crispy noodles. PICKLED MUSTARD GREENS: Their acidity helps cut through the coconut and short-rib richness. They are not decorative. MAKE AHEAD: The short-rib curry can be prepared one day ahead. Cool and refrigerate promptly. The chilled fat will be easier to remove selectively. Reheat gently. Cook the soft noodles and fry/refresh the crispy noodles near serving time for the best texture. IMPORTANT: Use full-fat UNSWEETENED coconut milk. Do not use coconut beverage, sweetened coconut cream, or cream of coconut.

Browse all recipes →

Browse recipe collections →