Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Laotian Khao Piak Sen
老撾雞肉米線湯
Recipe overview
Rice and tapioca flours are scalded into an elastic dough, rolled and hand-cut, then cooked in batches in ginger chicken broth. Chicken is poached to 75°C, shredded, and served with herbs and lime.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 180 g rice flour
- 180 g tapioca starch
- 240 ml boiling water
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1.5 L unsalted chicken stock
- 30 g ginger, bruised
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 40 g spring onion and coriander, chopped
- 1 lime, wedged
Chicken poaching
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
Soup seasoning
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Cooking oil
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for preventing sticking
02
Tools
- Kitchen scale and jug
- Large heatproof bowl
- Wooden spoon and scraper
- Rolling pin
- Knife and board
- Large soup pot
- Slotted spoon
- Probe thermometer
- Four deep bowls
03
Steps
Step 1
Combine the flours
Mix rice flour and tapioca starch in a large bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons as dusting flour, then make a small well in the centre.
Step 2
Scald with boiling water
Pour freshly boiling water into the well in three additions, mixing immediately with a wooden spoon each time; cool the damp crumbs for 2 minutes.
Step 3
Knead an elastic dough
Lightly oil your palms and knead the warm crumbs for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and flexible; if dry, add hot water only one teaspoon at a time.
Step 4
Roll and hand-cut noodles
Dust the counter lightly, divide dough in two, roll each to 3 mm thick, cut into 8 mm strips, and shake every strand apart.
Step 5
Build the aromatic broth
Boil chicken stock with ginger, lemongrass and salt, then reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the broth.
Step 6
Poach chicken to 75°C
Add chicken thighs to barely simmering broth for 10 to 12 minutes; probe the thickest part for 75°C, cooking 1 minute longer between checks if needed.
Step 7
Shred chicken and strain
Move chicken to a clean plate and shred when cool enough; strain ginger and lemongrass from the broth, then return it to a steady gentle bubble.
Step 8
Cook the first noodle batch
Divide noodles into three batches, scatter the first strands separately into simmering broth, stir gently, and cook 3 to 4 minutes until floating with no dry centre.
Step 9
Finish batches separately
Lift the first batch into bowls and repeat with the other two, letting the broth return to a simmer between batches so strands do not clump.
Step 10
Season the thickened broth
After the noodles, season the naturally thickened broth with fish sauce, sugar and white pepper; simmer 2 minutes and loosen with hot water if needed.
Step 11
Warm the shredded chicken
Return shredded chicken to the broth for only 1 minute, then turn off the heat so it stays moist; taste before adding any more fish sauce.
Step 12
Garnish and serve
Ladle chicken and piping-hot broth over the noodles, scatter spring onion and coriander, and serve with lime wedges to squeeze and mix through.
Common mistakes
- Warm rather than boiling water cannot gelatinise the tapioca, leaving a crumbly dough.
- Failing to separate cut strands lets moist noodles fuse into one mass.
- Adding every noodle at once cools the broth and creates clumps; cook in three batches.
- Shredding chicken before it reaches 75°C is unsafe; probe it before removal.
Tips
Knead while the dough is warm but comfortable; it becomes less extensible when cold.
Use only a light dusting because excess flour makes the broth pasty and raw-tasting.
Fresh noodles absorb broth quickly, so assemble and serve without extended holding.
