Chicken Kwause - Chicken and Noodles in Coconut Milk

There are many versions of spelling for this Burmese (now Myanmar) noodle soup (see Index). Burmese foods consist of lots of fish products such as dried shrimp and fish, fish sauces and ngapi which is fermented seafood. Based on where Myanmar is located geographically, the cuisine is influenced by Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisines.

This dish was my absolute favorite growing up in Australia. It is a noodle dish that is topped with a rich chicken or beef curry that is on the drier side, ladled with a coconut kadhi (a soup base) and garnished with various toppings. Over the years I have experimented many variations of this recipe for the curried chicken (my preferred protein) and settled on a main method of cooking the dish that is of Indian influence. I

Yield: Serves 3-4

Difficulty Level: Low-Medium

Total Time: Under 60 minutes

Prep Time: 10-15 mins

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or *breast cut to 1 inch in size

½ cup oil

1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic

1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger

1 large tomato chopped

1 12oz can coconut milk

12 oz of *water

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

1 package of gluten-free spaghetti cooked per instructions on box

Whole Spices

½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

½ teaspoon black cloves

2-3 small/medium green cardamom pods

1 medium round cinnamon stick OR 3-4 small/medium flat cinnamon sticks

Ground Spices

2 ¼ teaspoons salt (1 ½ teaspoon for chicken and ¾ teaspoon for kadhi)

1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder

1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder (½ teaspoon for chicken and ½ teaspoon for kadhi)

1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder

Condiments/Garnishing:

6-7 chopped boiled eggs

1-2 sliced jalapeño peppers

½ bunch chopped cilantro

½ cup of crunchy chow mein (optional)

Fresh lemon

1. Cook noodles as per package instructions. Set aside when cooked and keep warm.

2. Heat up oil in pot on medium high.

3. Add whole spices and cook 1-2 minutes.

4. Add garlic and ginger and cook about 1-2 minutes.

5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook 4-5 minutes, until softened (have a splatter guard or lid on hand as the tomatoes will splatter).

6. Add chicken and cook about 4-5 minutes.

7. Add remaining spices, mix well and cook another 2-3 minutes.

8. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook about 5-6 minutes until chicken is done and oil has separated in pot.

Coconut Milk Kadhi

1. In a separate pot empty coconut milk. Fill up the can with equal amount of water and our into pot. Add salt and turmeric and bring to slight boil.

2. While waiting for kadhi to boil, make slurry with chickpea flour and water in a small

bowl, mixing thoroughly and ensuring there are no lumps.

3. When kadhi starts to *boil, reduce heat, and start pouring the slurry while mixing continuously.

4. Bring this to a *boil and let cook about 1-2 minutes for the flour to cook through.

* TIPS

1. Thin out the chicken by slicing thru the breast 1 -2 times and creating additional slices, before cutting into one-inch pieces. This way the cooking is easier, and it doesn’t leave the chicken dry during the cooking process.

2. Kadhi will boil over if the heat is too high so ensure you keep an eye on it.

3. Adjust kadhi thickness to your own preference by adjusting the amount of water

Assembling

Place spaghetti in individual pasta bowl, add curried chicken and pour coconut kadhi over it to your liking of ‘soupiness’. Garnish with boiled eggs, jalapeño for added spice, cilantro, and some lemon juice. For that added crunch add a gluten-free Chow Mein or even potato chips if desired.