Myanmar's beloved coconut noodle soup: silky egg noodles in a turmeric-golden coconut milk chicken broth, topped with crispy noodles and boiled egg.
Ohn no khao swe — literally 'coconut milk noodles' — is the Burmese comfort dish that most closely resembles Malaysian laksa and Thai khao soi, yet has its own distinct personality built on Indian-influenced turmeric and chickpea flour thickening. The broth begins with a spiced paste of onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and turmeric fried in oil, then enriched with coconut milk and chicken stock and thickened slightly with chickpea flour (besan) — a unique technique that gives the broth a slightly silky, coating texture. Egg noodles are the traditional base (unlike the rice-noodle preference in much of Southeast Asia), reflecting the Indian influence on Burmese cooking via the large Indian community that lived in colonial Rangoon. Served with crispy fried egg noodles on top, sliced red onion, cilantro, lime, dried chili flakes, and fish sauce on the side, it is a one-bowl meal of great warmth and layered complexity.
Serves 4
Blend onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry paste 8-10 minutes until deeply fragrant and beginning to brown at the edges. Add turmeric and paprika, stir 1 minute.
Add chicken thighs and stir to coat in the paste. Cook 5 minutes, browning on both sides.
Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a low simmer. Cook 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Whisk chickpea flour with 4 tbsp cold water until smooth. Stir into the simmering broth. Cook 5 more minutes, stirring, until the broth is slightly thickened. Season with fish sauce and salt.
Chickpea flour thickening is the unique Burmese technique here — start with 2 tablespoons and add more if needed.
Remove chicken, shred meat from bones. Deep-fry a small nest of dry egg noodles at 180°C for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Drain.
Cook egg noodles per packet. Divide among bowls. Ladle broth with shredded chicken over noodles. Top with crispy noodles, sliced red onion, cilantro, and halved egg. Serve lime, chili flakes, and fish sauce alongside.
Chickpea flour thickening is what makes ohn no khao swe distinctively Burmese — do not substitute cornstarch, which creates a different texture.
Fry the spice paste until it's deeply golden and beginning to brown — this caramelization is essential for flavor depth.
Crispy egg noodle topping must be fried just before serving — it loses crunch within minutes in the humid soup environment.
Pork version: replace chicken with pork belly, braised for 45 minutes until tender before adding coconut milk.
Vegetarian: use vegetable stock, replace chicken with firm tofu and chickpeas, replace fish sauce with soy sauce.
Broth keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Noodles and crispy topping stored separately. Thin broth with stock when reheating as it thickens considerably on refrigeration.
Ohn no khao swe reflects Myanmar's deep culinary ties with India — particularly with the large Bengali and South Indian community that lived in colonial Rangoon under British rule. The use of chickpea flour (besan) for thickening and egg noodles (introduced by Indian Muslims) are both Indian influences adapted into a distinctly Burmese dish. The dish emerged as a popular street food in early 20th century Rangoon and has remained Myanmar's most internationally recognized noodle soup.
Chickpea flour (besan) slightly thickens the coconut broth and adds a subtle nuttiness that distinguishes ohn no khao swe from Thai or Lao coconut noodle soups. Use 2 tablespoons for a light coating effect, 3 for a noticeably thicker broth.
Egg noodles are traditional and their slightly chewy, rich texture pairs better with the thick coconut broth. Rice noodles work as a substitute but the dish loses some of its characteristic richness.
They share coconut milk broth and crispy noodle topping, but ohn no khao swe uses egg noodles throughout (not wheat noodles), a milder spice level, chickpea flour thickening, and a less chili-forward broth. The Indian influence in the Burmese version is clearly distinct.
Per serving (520g / 18.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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