Thai Boat Noodles (Intense Thai Canal Beef Noodle Soup)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 55 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 10
About this dish
Star anise and cinnamon steeped in beef broth, darkened with dark soy sauce, give this bowl its deep color and warm spice aroma, while fish sauce and a little palm sugar keep it salty with a rounded edge.
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The name comes from noodles once sold from boats along Thai canals. Thin beef slices cook in the hot broth for only a minute or two, and the bean sprouts soften under the ladle yet keep some crunch.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Cook 200 g rice noodles according to the package timing, then rinse briefly under cold water to remove excess starch.
Drain well in a colander so the finished broth stays clear and concentrated.
- 2
Put 900 ml beef broth, 1 star anise, and 1 cinnamon stick in a pot over medium heat.
Once it boils, lower to a gentle simmer for at least 15 minutes to draw out the warm spice aroma.
- 3
Stir in 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon palm sugar until fully dissolved.
Taste the broth, and if it feels flat, add fish sauce in 0.5 teaspoon increments only.
- 4
Bring the broth back to a light boil and slide in 220 g thinly sliced beef, separating the pieces as they go in.
Poach for only 1 to 2 minutes, removing it as soon as the color changes so it stays tender.
- 5
Divide the drained noodles and 80 g bean sprouts among bowls, then place the poached beef on top.
Ladle over plenty of hot broth so the sprouts soften slightly while keeping some crunch.
- 6
Top with 2 tablespoons cilantro and optional chili flakes, then serve immediately while the broth is hot.
Before eating, check the dark color and seasoning, then mix the noodles through the concentrated broth.
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