DIY Food Kits: Pork Curry Noodle Soup (Khao Soi Moo) DIY Kit from Samyan Thai Street Food
Pork Curry Noodle Soup (Khao Soi Moo) DIY Kit from Samyan Thai Street Food
The pandemic and the quarantine gave rise to new trends in the food industry. One of them is the do-it-yourself (DIY) food kits. Since many of us were locked down in our houses and encouraged not to go out as much as possible, food establishments began offering some of their items in DIY kits. New York burger chain Shake Shack began offering the DIY ShackBurger Kit, and ramen joint Mendokoro Ramenba, which is known for not allowing takeaway, came up with their Take Home Ramen Kit (they say that DIY kits are better than takeaway in retaining the ramen quality).
At first, I was hesitant of this trend for two reasons. First, I don’t want to ruin my food. The last thing I want is to have an amazing dish (like Mendokoro’s ramen) and mess it up. Second, I still believe that nothing beats the experience of eating the food in the establishment itself.
But times have changed and the industry has adapted. Food spots are doing their best to bring our favorite dishes to our homes so we can enjoy it without risking our health. So foodies, including myself, should begin to appreciate this trend. (Because of the quarantine, I was able to hone my chopping and cooking skills. So I’m now more confident of trying DIY food kits. Ruining the food is less likely to happen. LOL.)
Last year, I launched a series called DIY Food Kits and have tried a few already, including Your Local’s Beef Rendang Buns (read it here.) and Shake Shack’s DIY Shackburger Kit (read it here). Today, I’m featuring a Thai noodle soup DIY kit from Samyan Thai Street Food
The Food Spot and Kit
Samyan is a stall at The Grid Food Market in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell. It’s helmed by Thai chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, who owns the Michelin-recognized Le Du (1 star) and Baan (Bib Gourmand) in Bangkok. The Thai food stall serves dishes that are inspired by the street food Chef Ton used to eat at Samyan Market.
Recently, the food stall received a Thai SELECT Casual Award from the Department of International Trade Promotion of Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce. This recognition is awarded to establishments outside Thailand that offer Thai food with authentic Thai taste. So in Samyan, you’re not just having delicious food created by a Michelin chef but also food with authentic Thai flavors! (Check the dishes I tried at Samyan here.)
During the pandemic, they released 2 DIY Kits: Pork Curry Noodle Soup and Tom Yum Noodle Soup. Since I watched Mark Wiens eat curry noodles or Khao Soi in Thai, I went for the former.
The Pork Curry Noodle Soup DIY KIt
But first, what is khao soi? Common in Northern Thailand especially in the city of Chiang Mai, khao soi is a dish that consists of egg noodles (both soft and crispy) swimming in a rich coconut gravy that has Burmese flavors. It’s typically available in beef and chicken options. But in some parts of Thailand, pork (moo) is also offered.
The Ingredients and Instructions
The ingredients include the following: Pork curry broth, egg noodles, crispy noodles, sliced shallots, and pickled mustard greens, cilantro, and a piece of lime.
They don’t provide a printed instruction. Instead, the give you a QR code (which to me is resourceful but I prefer a printed one for convenience). Here are the instructions (taken straight from the guide):
Pour the pork curry soup in a saucepan and simmer gently over medium heat until hot.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop the fresh egg noodles in and cook for 2-3 minutes until desired firmness is achieved. Drain and place in a serving bowl.
Arrange the pork on top of the noodles. Pour the hot curry soup on top. Garnish with the shallots, picked mustard, cilantro, and crispy noodles. Best enjoyed with a fresh squeeze of lime. You may adjust the spice level with the roasted chili oil.
I didn’t make a step-by-step photoshoot of the cooking process. So just let your imagination work! LOL.
The Finished Product
I strictly followed the instructions and I’m glad it turned out well. Here’s how it looks:
So how was it? Let’s start with the broth, which is rich and thick, with pronounced coconut, curry, and lemongrass flavors. It’s also slightly spicy and a bit gritty. The egg noodles are soft, which is a good contrast to the crispy noodles. The pieces of pork are generous, and some of it are even fatty. The squeeze of lime add a nice acidity, cutting through the richness. In short, this bowl of noodles is a world of flavors and textures!
Now, I can’t wait to visit Thailand, especially Chiang Mai, and do a khao soi food crawl!
By the way, each kit comes with 2 bottles of cold drinks. The choices are: Thai Iced Coffee or Thai Lime Iced Tea. I got the latter, which is refreshing and has a pandan flavor.
