Ono Kyauk-Swé (Burmese Chicken Curry Soup Noodles)

[Update: I’ve updated this recipe and it is now hosted on my jekyll blog Foodimade.com- Ono Kyauk Swe]

This is a popular traditional Burmese soup. I’m using an electric slow cooker (the Instant Pot) to simplify a family recipe while still allowing the soup to develop a rich, complex flavor.

Ingredients

Soup

The soup broth gets its distinctive rich orange color from the blend of turmeric, paprika, and chili powder.

• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp. turmeric
• 3 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder or chili flakes (you can add more if you are adventurous)
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• salt
• 1 cans coconut milk
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 eggs, hard boiled and sliced (I recommend using this egg slicer)
• 1 cup of chana Flour (sometimes called besan or gram flour- a flour made from ground chickpeas- it can be found at Indian and some Asian grocers, or ordered online)
• 2 lbs chicken breast, chopped into cubes

Noodles

• Egg Noodles, preferably fresh ones, but frozen will work

Garnishes

Burmese dishes are often served with a variety of garnishes table-side and each diner can add them liberally based on their preferences.

The garnishes commonly served with this soup are:

• Cilantro leaves, chopped
• Red onions, thinly sliced
• Hard boiled eggs, sliced
• Limes, sliced into wedges
• Toasted Chili flakes
• Crunchy noodles

Instructions

1. Put the Instant Pot on “Sauté” mode and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sauté the onions until they are translucent, about 4 minutes, and then add the garlic. Stir for 2 more minutes, and then stir in the turmeric, paprika and chili flakes. Stir to combine into a thick paste.
2. Add the chicken stock and fish sauce and stir. Allow to come up to a slow boil and switch the Instant Pot to “Slow Cook” mode.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the chana flour with two cups of water and whisk slowly to remove any lumps. Mix the coconut milk and beaten eggs into this bowl and whisk until it is a smooth, creamy texture. Ensuring that the slow cooker liquid is no longer boiling, mix the chana, coconut milk, and egg mixture into the slow cooker. Add salt.
4. Add the diced chicken meat to the slow cooker and cover. Let it slow cook for 4 hours. On the Instant Pot, you can use the medium slow cooker temperature
5. When the soup is done slow cooking, switch the slow cooker to a “Keep Warm” mode and mix in the sliced hard boiled eggs.
6. In a separate pot, cook the egg noodles in boiling water according to their directions. Strain the cooked noodles and rinse with cold water.
7. For each diner, put some of the noodles in a bowl and top with a generous amount of the soup broth. Serve with small bowls of the garnishes at the table.