Description
This recipe for Thai Boat Noodles Soup (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ) comes straight from my village in Surin, Thailand—a dish that’s been made and loved for over 60 years. It’s the ultimate comfort food we’ve served to hundreds of people during festivals, special events, and family gatherings. And now, I’m so excited to share it with you!
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients for the Broth:
- 2.5 pounds pork bones: I used a mix of neck and knuckle bones.
- 18 cups water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 3 pandan leaves
- 6 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/3 cup cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 heads pickled garlic (1 ounce): Halve them if large.
- 1/2 cup pickled garlic juice
- 3 cinnamon sticks (about 4 inches each)
- 3 star anise
- 1 tablespoon white cardamom (6 pods) or 2 black cardamom pods
- 1 1/2 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons sweet black soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Thai thin soy sauce
- 3 ounces rock sugar
- 1/3 cup pig’s blood
For the Bowl:
These are suggested amounts per bowl; feel free to adjust to taste!
- 1 1/2 cups rice noodles, softened before dunking in the broth
- 4 ounces thinly sliced beef or pork
- 3–4 meatballs (pork or beef)
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup morning glory (pak boong), Chinese broccoli, or spinach
Garnishes for Kuay Teow Reua:
Set these out buffet-style and customize each bowl to taste. Typically, just a dash of each is enough.
- Fried garlic in garlic oil
- Chopped green onions and cilantro
- Thai chili flakes
- Pork cracklings or pork rinds
- Pickled radish (Tung Chai)
- Ground white pepper
- White sugar
- Chili vinegar
- Fish sauce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast the Dry Spices. In a small, dry pan (no oil), toast the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, star anise, and white peppercorns over medium heat until fragrant. Toast the larger spices for a couple of minutes first, then add the smaller ones. Once aromatic, remove the spices from the pan and set them aside to cool.
- Prepare the Spice Sachet. Once the spices are cool, place them in a sachet along with pickled garlic, fresh garlic, and cilantro stems.
- Prepare the Broth. In a large pot (8-quart or larger), combine water, pork bones, rolled pandan leaves, salt, and daikon. Bring the mixture to a boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and let the broth simmer for 2–3 hours to develop its rich flavor.
- Build the Flavor. About 1 hour before the broth is finished simmering, add rock sugar and soy sauces. Stir well and let the flavors deepen as the broth continues to cook.
- Prep the Ingredients. While the broth finishes, prepare the ingredients for the bowls about 30 minutes before serving. Soak the rice noodles in water until tender, then drain.
- Add the Pig's Blood. During the last 15 minutes of simmering, slowly stir in the blood while whisking continuously to prevent clumping. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional sugar or soy sauce as needed. * You can leave the meatballs in the broth until serving, as Thai vendors often do to boost umami flavor.
- Prepare a separate pot of hot water for blanching. In a separate medium-sized pot, boil water over high heat. This water will be used to dunk the noodles, preventing the starch from clouding the soup broth. Vegetables and meat, however, can be cooked directly in the soup broth to enhance their flavor. * it’s fine to cook the noodles directly in the broth for small batches of broth—I’ve done it often with great results. This step is entirely up to you!
- Assemble the Bowls. Remove all the bones, herbs, and sachet from the broth. Use the meat from the bones to add protein to your bowls. Then, use a noodle basket to add about 1 cup of softened rice noodles to the bottom of each serving bowl. Submerge the noodles briefly in the boiling water pot, drain, and transfer them to the serving bowl.
- Blanch the meat and the veggies: Place sliced beef and meatballs directly into the soup broth to cook. Repeat with morning glory and bean sprouts or other greens in the same way. Once cooked, transfer them to the serving bowl.
- Ladle the Broth. Pour the hot, flavorful broth over the noodles and toppings in each bowl using a soup ladle. Adjust the amount of broth to your preference.
- Garnish and Serve. Top each bowl with fried garlic, garlic oil, green onions, cilantro, chili vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, and pork rinds. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Mix well and enjoy your flavorful bowl of Thai Boat Noodles Soup!
Notes
- Focus on the broth, as it’s the heart of the dish. Use fresh pork or beef bones, simmer them for 2–3 hours to extract their full flavor, and skim off any scum to keep the broth clear and clean.
- Toasting the spices is another essential step. Dry-toast cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom in a pan until fragrant, but be careful not to overdo it, as this can make them bitter.
- When adding blood to the broth, pour it slowly while whisking to prevent clumping. Strain the blood first for a smoother texture. If blood isn’t an option, unsweetened dark soy sauce is sufficient.
- Preparing ingredients ahead of time makes the process smoother. Soak rice noodles until they’re soft, then drain them. Thinly slice your meats for quick cooking, and have vegetables like morning glory or spinach washed and trimmed.
- Always keep the broth and noodles separate—dunk the noodles briefly in boiling water before serving to avoid starch clouding the broth.
- Garnishes elevate the dish, so don’t skip them. Fried garlic, chili flakes, pork rinds, and a squeeze of fresh lime add the perfect finishing touch. Serving buffet-style lets everyone customize their bowl, making the experience fun and interactive.
- Rock sugar is a must for authentic sweetness, as it melts slowly and beautifully balances the flavors. Taste the broth as you cook, adjusting the seasoning to create the perfect harmony of flavors.
- For even better results, make the broth a day ahead. Refrigeration enhances the flavor, and you can easily skim off any solidified fat for a cleaner taste.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 2
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai