ANGLO-BURMESE KHOW SUEY / KHOW SUEY

This Anglicized Burmese dish is a wonderful, delicious mouth watering concoction of noodles, spicy chicken curry and lots of toppings. While the noodles and chicken curry form the base of this dish, it allows each one to choose their own toppings. As the name suggests, it is a Burmese dish, but was brought into Eastern India when many Indians fled from Burma and crossed over into India during World War II.

Serves 6

Preparation time 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 kg Chicken boiled and shredded (discard bones)

1 teaspoon whole black pepper corns

2 Bay leaves

2 pieces cinnamon bark (about one inch in size)

Salt to taste

2 medium sized onions chopped fine

2 teaspoons garlic and ginger paste

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 cup cooked and mashed moong dhal (yellow split lentils)

2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon garam masala / all spice powder

2 teaspoons red chilli powder

1 cup coconut milk

Salt to taste

500 grams thin egg noodles

For the garnish:

1 cup spring onions chopped fine

2 onions sliced finely and fried golden brown

4 tablespoons chopped garlic fried in oil

1 cup boiled eggs chopped into tiny pieces

5 tablespoons dry prawn powder (make by coarsely grinding dry prawns)

1 cup chopped coriander leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan and sauté the onions, black pepper corns, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks till the onions turn golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chillie powder and garam masala / spice powder and fry for another 5 minutes. Mix in the cooked moong dhal / lentil paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and salt and cook till the chicken is tender. Keep aside.

Boil the noodles in sufficient water with a little salt. Strain and run cold water over them. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil over the noodles to keep them from sticking, and toss to mix well. Keep aside.

Now heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a small pan till very hot. Turn off the flame and add 1 tbsp of red chillie powder to this oil. Keep this chillie oil aside to cool.

Serve each person individually in deep bowls as follows:

Place a single serving of noodles in the bowl. Top generously with the chicken curry prepared as above. Now top up with the chopped fried garlic, fried onions, chopped spring onion, and boiled egg, one on top of the other as per preference. Drizzle with chillie oil and sprinkle dry prawn powder according to taste. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Add a dash of lemon to complete. Have a bowl of chopped green chillies in vinegar as an accompaniment

The Khowsuey can also be served with plain egg noodles and the chicken curry in a big bowl. The toppings of

Fried Garlic, Fried Onions, Chopped Spring onions, Chopped boiled eggs, Chopped green chillies in vinegar,
Lime wedges and Ground dry shrimp powder could be served in small bowls and each person could top up their own bowls as per their preference