Burmese Ohn No Khao Swe
A coconut chicken noodle soup with a silky chickpea-thickened broth and a table full of crunchy, sharp and spicy finishes.
About this dish
Ohn no khao swe literally points to coconut milk and noodles. The Myanmar bowl combines wheat noodles with chicken in a coconut-based broth, commonly thickened with chickpea flour, then relies on toppings such as egg, onion, lime, chile and crisp noodles for contrast. The broth should feel creamy and savory rather than heavy or aggressively spicy.
A Myanmar noodle bowl built as much at the table as at the stove
Myanmar’s state media describes coconut milk noodles as a traditional dish served at festive gatherings and as a popular breakfast, while Burmese-focused cookbooks and SBS document the same defining structure: wheat noodles, chicken, coconut milk, chickpea flour and a customizable set of toppings. Related coconut-noodle dishes traveled through South and Southeast Asia, but this page keeps the focus on the Myanmar preparation rather than collapsing those cousins into one recipe.
Household versions differ in broth thickness, chicken preparation and toppings. Some use fritters or fish cakes; others are simpler. This version keeps the core bowl practical for a home kitchen.
Preparation notes
A few minutes in a dry pan removes the raw flour taste and adds a nutty aroma.
Once coconut milk is in the pot, avoid a hard rolling boil. Gentle heat keeps the broth smoother.
The noodles and broth wait poorly. Have egg, onion, lime, herbs and crisp noodles ready before assembly.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 2 tbsp peanut or neutral oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp mild paprika or chile powder
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut bite-size
- 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 lb fresh or 12 oz dried wheat egg noodles
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 limes, cut in wedges
- Chile oil or crushed dried chile, for serving
- 1 cup crisp fried noodles or crushed chickpea fritters, optional
Method
- 1.Toast the chickpea flour. Put the flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and stir constantly 4–5 minutes until it smells nutty and turns slightly deeper in color. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- 2.Build the aromatic base. Heat oil in a soup pot. Cook onion 7–9 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric and paprika; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3.Cook the chicken. Add chicken and fish sauce. Stir 3–4 minutes so the pieces lose their raw exterior and become coated in the yellow aromatic base.
- 4.Add stock and simmer. Pour in 4 cups stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 12–15 minutes. Checkpoint: chicken should be cooked through and tender, with no pink center.
- 5.Make a smooth slurry. Whisk toasted chickpea flour with the remaining 1 cup cool stock until completely smooth, then slowly whisk it into the soup. Simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring along the bottom.
- 6.Add coconut milk gently. Lower the heat and stir in coconut milk. Warm 5 minutes without a hard boil. Checkpoint: the broth should lightly coat a spoon but still pour easily around noodles.
- 7.Cook the noodles separately. Boil noodles according to package directions until springy and just tender. Drain well and divide among six bowls.
- 8.Taste the broth. Adjust with fish sauce and a squeeze of lime if needed. The broth should be savory, lightly sweet from coconut and aromatic, not flat or floury.
- 9.Assemble immediately. Ladle chicken and broth over noodles. Add egg, sliced red onion, cilantro, chile and crisp noodles or fritter pieces.
- 10.Finish at the table. Serve lime wedges and extra chile alongside so each person can sharpen and heat the bowl to taste.
Worth finding before you cook
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These are included only because they can be harder to find in a standard supermarket.