Ohn No Khao Swè

Name: Ohn No Khao Swè
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Ingredients: For the broth:; 1.5 lbs (700g) bone-in chicken pieces (thighs preferred); 4 cups water; 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces; 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp salt; For the coconut base:; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 large onion, finely diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp shrimp paste (optional — adds depth; omit for vegetarian); 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/4 tsp chili flakes or 1 dried red chili; 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk; 3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan), whisked into 1/2 cup cold water until smooth; For the noodles:; 12 oz (350g) fresh or dried egg noodles (or substitute ramen or thick spaghetti); For the condiment table (all essential):; 2 hardboiled eggs, halved; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 2 limes, cut into wedges; 1/4 cup fried shallots (store-bought or homemade); 1/4 cup crispy fried egg noodles (fry a handful of cooked noodles in hot oil until crisp); 2 tbsp dried chili flakes; Fresh cilantro leaves; Fish sauce on the side

Burma's soul food: tender egg noodles in a creamy coconut-chicken broth enriched with chickpea flour, served with a constellation of crispy, bright, and sour condiments that each diner customizes at the table. One of Southeast Asia's great noodle soups.

⏱30 min prep 🔥50 min cook ⏰80 min total 🍽4 servings 📊medium

The Cultural Story

Ohn no khao swè — coconut noodles — is Myanmar's most beloved noodle dish, the Burmese answer to the question of what to eat on a cold morning or a difficult afternoon. The name tells you everything: ohn no means coconut milk, khao swè means noodles. The execution is more complex than the name suggests. The broth is the achievement: chicken is simmered with lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric, then the broth is enriched with both coconut milk and a slurry of chickpea flour (besan) — the chickpea flour, an Indian influence that entered Burmese cooking via the long history of Indian communities in Rangoon, thickens the broth and adds a distinctive, slightly earthy richness that distinguishes it from Thai or Lao coconut soups. The result is a broth that is creamy and golden, slightly thicker than expected, fragrant with lemongrass and turmeric. The condiments table is not optional — it is the whole point of ohn no khao swè. Each diner receives a bowl of noodles and broth, then customizes with whatever combination calls to them: crispy fried noodles for crunch, raw onion for sharpness, fresh lime for acid, boiled eggs halved, dried chili flakes for heat, fried shallots, fresh cilantro. No two bowls are the same. This is Burmese hospitality made edible: here is the canvas, here are the colors, make it yours. Ohn no khao swè is sold at roadside stalls from Mandalay to Yangon beginning at dawn, and the best versions are eaten with morning tea as the city wakes up.

Ingredients

For the broth:
1.5 lbs (700g) bone-in chicken pieces (thighs preferred)
4 cups water
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
For the coconut base:
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp shrimp paste (optional — adds depth; omit for vegetarian)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chili flakes or 1 dried red chili
1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan), whisked into 1/2 cup cold water until smooth
For the noodles:
12 oz (350g) fresh or dried egg noodles (or substitute ramen or thick spaghetti)
For the condiment table (all essential):
2 hardboiled eggs, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 limes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)
1/4 cup crispy fried egg noodles (fry a handful of cooked noodles in hot oil until crisp)
2 tbsp dried chili flakes
Fresh cilantro leaves
Fish sauce on the side

Instructions

1Make the chicken broth: place chicken pieces in a pot with water, lemongrass, sliced ginger, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove chicken. Strain and reserve the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones in large shreds. Discard bones and aromatics.
2Build the coconut base: in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden. Add minced garlic and ginger; cook 2 more minutes. Add fish sauce, shrimp paste if using, turmeric, and chili flakes. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3Add the liquids: pour in the coconut milk. Add the strained chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4Thicken with chickpea flour: whisk the chickpea flour-water slurry one more time, then pour it into the simmering broth while stirring constantly. The broth will thicken noticeably within 2–3 minutes — it should coat the back of a spoon but still flow freely. If too thick, add a little water. If too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes.
5Add the chicken: return the pulled chicken to the broth. Taste and adjust salt and fish sauce — the broth should be savory, slightly sweet from the coconut, with warmth from the turmeric.
6Cook the noodles: boil egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among four large deep bowls.
7Assemble: ladle the hot coconut chicken broth generously over the noodles. Top each bowl with a halved boiled egg.
8Set up the condiment table: arrange the raw red onion, lime wedges, fried shallots, crispy fried noodles, chili flakes, cilantro, and fish sauce where everyone can reach them. Each person customizes their own bowl — a squeeze of lime, a pinch of chili, a handful of crispy noodles on top. Eat immediately while the crispy noodles still crunch.

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