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Thai Spicy and Sour Noodle Soup

A flavorful journey through authentic Thai cuisine, this comforting noodle soup combines spicy, sour, and fragrant elements into a perfect bowl of happiness.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Broth
  • 2 lb pork bones (or substitute chicken bones) Use well-marbled bones for flavor.
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed Freshly crushed for depth of flavor.
  • 5 cilantro roots, smashed to bruise (or 10 cilantro stems)
  • 0.5 tsp white peppercorns, cracked or ground
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • Top half of 2 lemongrass, smashed and cut into pieces Fresh recommended.
For the Soup Base
  • 200 g ground pork (or substitute ground chicken)
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp sugar Plus an additional 2 tsp per bowl.
  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce Plus an additional 2 tsp per bowl.
  • 4 Tbsp lime juice 1 Tbsp per bowl.
  • 0.5 cup ground roasted peanuts 2 Tbsp per bowl.
  • Roasted chili flakes or regular chili flakes, to taste
For Assembly
  • 3 cups pork stock 6 oz per bowl.
  • 100 g Asian-style fish cakes, thinly sliced
  • 160 g fresh egg noodles (or another noodle of your choice)
  • 1.5 cups bean sprouts
  • 0.5 cup chopped cilantro
  • Chili vinegar (optional)

Method
 

Preparation of the Broth
  1. Wash bones in cold water, add to a large stock pot, cover with 3 liters of cold water, and bring to a simmer for 45-60 minutes, skimming off any scum.
  2. After the initial simmer, add garlic, cilantro roots, peppercorns, and lemongrass. Allow it to simmer for an additional hour.
Preparing Soup Base
  1. In a small pot, bring 2 tablespoons of water to a boil. Add ground pork and fish sauce, cooking until fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes.
  2. In another small pot, fry chopped garlic in vegetable oil over medium-low heat until golden brown.
Assembly
  1. Blanch bean sprouts and fish cakes briefly in boiling water (about 1-2 minutes), remove, and divide into serving bowls.
  2. Cook noodles in boiling water until slightly underdone (about 2-3 minutes), drain, and divide among the bowls.
  3. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of cooked ground pork to each bowl, then heat your pork stock, adding sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, peanuts, and chili flakes. Stir to dissolve the sugar and ladle over the noodles.
  4. Top each bowl with cilantro and crispy garlic; serve immediately.

Notes

For the best taste, use high-quality stock! Store components separately if there are leftovers. Broth can last in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.