Go Back
pink melamine bowl filled with orange coloured curry. Some noodles are visible underneath the heaped toppings comprised of cubes of fried tofu, ground peanut, preserved radish, fried shallots, coriander, and sliced shallot.
Print Recipe

Muslim Thai curry noodles (gway teow gaeng, kway teow kaek)

Servings: 3 servings

Ingredients

Soup

  • 1 teaspoon chopped galangal
  • 2 teaspoons chopped lemongrass
  • 1 ½ tablespoons oil
  • 1-3 teaspoons chilli powder see notes1
  • 400 millilitre can of coconut milk preferably Aroy-D or or Chaokoh brand
  • 200 millilitres water
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 5 Siam cardamom pods see notes2
  • 2 Thai bay leaves see notes3
  • 1 clove
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 heaped cup mock beef, chicken, or tofu

Bowl

  • 180 grams dried rice noodles 60 grams per portion, give or take
  • Bean sprouts handful per bowl
  • Garlic or shallot oil optional
  • Extra firm yellow tofu, sliced see notes4
  • Fried shallots
  • Ground peanut
  • Coriander
  • Spring onion
  • Chopped sweet preserved radish see notes5
  • Lime optional

Condiments

  • Prik pon see notes6
  • Sugar
  • Soy sauce (with or without chillies) see notes7
  • Chilli vinegar see notes8

Instructions

Make the curry

  • Use a pestle and mortar to pound the lemongrass and galangal together into a smooth paste.
  • Heat the oil to medium heat in a saucepan and add the chilli powder. Fry for a minute or two, stirring often, until the oil is red. Add the lemongrass-galangal paste and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the coconut milk and water.
  • Bring to the boil and add all remaining curry ingredients. Turn the heat to low and simmer, covered, until you see red oil rise on the surface (15 ish minutes). Add your vegan protein to cook through.

Assemble the bowls

  • Bring another pot of water to the boil. Cook the noodles and bean sprouts by submerging them in the water for about 20-30 seconds. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
  • Optional: coat the noodles with a teaspoon or two of garlic or shallot oil.
  • Pour around ⅓ of the curry over each bowl of noodles. Top with a few pieces of tofu, around a teaspoon or two of the shallots, ground peanut, coriander, spring onion, and preserved radish. Squeeze a wedge of lime over and serve alongside recommended condiments.

Notes

  1. I have made this curry with a range of chilli powders, from Deggi Mirch (a more fiery blend made from dried kashmiri chillies and red capsicums) to gochugaru (mild Korean chilli powder). The latter is not traditional by any stretch of the imagination, but it's mild enough that my very British and heat averse husband likes it.
  2. These are not the same as green or true cardamom. If you can't find Siam cardamom, use two green cardamom pods in place of 5 Siam cardamom pods.
  3. Thai bay leaves, or bai grawaan, are very different to the bay laurel we cook with in Europe and North America. Bay laurel will work fine, but the flavour profile will be different.
  4. The colour of yellow tofu comes from turmeric. It's common in Thai cookery, but less so elsewhere. You can use firm white tofu too, but I recommend boiling it first.
  5. Preserved turnip (radish) can be easily found at ESEA grocers. Look for the minced variety with sugar in the ingredients.
  6. Prik bon is a type of toasted chilli powder. You can make it yourself.
  7. Prik nam plaa is made by soaking fresh chillies in fish sauce. Make a vegan version of prik nam plaa with soy sauce.
  8. Chilli vinegar, or nam som prik dong, is one of my top five condiments of all time. I've always got a jar to hand.