Thai Boat Noodles (Kuay Teow Reua)
This Thai boat noodles recipe is a traditional noodle soup with bold flavor and step-by-step image instructions to make it easy at home.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 tbsp fermented bean curd
- 1 pack Thai soup spice set (see notes)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 5 slices of galangal
- 3 coriander root
- 15 cups water
- 2 lb pork soup bones
- 4 pandan leaves
- 5 oz or 1 cup daikon (roughly chopped)
- 3 tablespoons golden mountain sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3.5 oz or 1/2 cup rock sugar
- 2 ounce pickled garlic head & water (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon MSG (optional)
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp coconut milk
- 1 1/4 cups pork blood (optional)
- 3 stalks of lemongrass (optional if using pork blood)
- thinly sliced pork (or other proteins, add to taste)
- fried garlic (add to taste)
- chili flakes (add to taste)
- rice noodles (add to taste, see notes)
- morning glory (roughly chopped, add to taste)
- bean sprouts (add to taste)
- look chin (see notes)
- coriander (chopped, add to taste)
- green onions (chopped, add to taste)
- white sugar (add to taste)
- prik nam som (add to taste, see notes)
Instructions
- 1
Crush the fermented bean curd in a small bowl until smooth.
- 2
Place the Thai soup spice set, garlic, black peppercorns, galangal, and coriander root into a cheesecloth bag and tie securely.
- 3
In a large pot over medium heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the spice bag, pork bones, crushed fermented bean curd, pandan leaves, daikon, golden mountain sauce, light and dark soy sauces, rock sugar, pickled garlic, salt, and optional MSG. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1 hour.
- 4
In a separate bowl, knead the pork blood with lemongrass until smooth and free of clumps. Stir in the coconut milk until fully combined.
- 5
After the broth has simmered for 1 hour, strain the blood mixture into the pot. If not using blood, just stir in the coconut milk. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- 6
Boil the noodles and vegetables. If using dry noodles, soak them first until softened. Transfer to serving bowls.
- 7
Cook your chosen protein and add it to each bowl. Drizzle with garlic oil to keep the noodles from sticking.
- 8
In a small bowl, mix sugar, chilies in vinegar, and fried chili flakes. Add a ladle of hot broth and adjust to taste. I used 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp chilies in vinegar, and 1 tsp chili flakes for about 2 cups of broth.
- 9
Pour the hot broth over the noodles and protein in each bowl.
- 10
Top each bowl with chopped coriander, green onions, bean sprouts, and crispy garlic. Serve hot.