Chicken Khao Soi Soup

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and mince the ginger. Remove and discard the kale stems; thinly slice the leaves. Peel, halve and thinly slice the onion. Using a peeler, remove the green rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter the lime. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Thoroughly wash your hands, knife and cutting board after handling the chicken.

In a large, high-sided pan (or pot), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Using your hands, gently separate the noodles. Add ¼ of the noodles to the pan in a single, even layer. Cook, tossing occasionally to separate the noodles and coat them in oil, 2 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Set aside in a warm place. Carefully discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Pat the chopped chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In the pan used to make the crispy noodles, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned.

Add the onion and ginger to the pan of chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add as much of the curry paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the curry paste is toasted and fragrant.

Add the kale to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted. Add the palm sugar, Golden Mountain sauce, coconut milk (shaking the can before opening) and ¼ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime zest and the juice of 2 lime wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the soup cooks, add the remaining noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly. Divide the cooked noodles and finished soup between 2 bowls. Top with the crispy noodles. Garnish with the cilantro and remaining lime wedges. Enjoy!