Noodles · Breakfast Soup

Khao Piak Sen

Photo: Spencer / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Its name literally translates to 'wet rice strands,' a nod to the thick, hand-cut noodles at its center.

Thick noodles made from a mix of rice and tapioca flour sit in a chicken broth simmered with lemongrass, galangal, and garlic, then get topped with fried shallots, garlic, and black pepper. It's a common breakfast dish, ladled out hot from roadside pots each morning.

Why it's made this way: The tapioca-rice noodle base naturally thickens the broth into a silky texture without extra starch, making it a filling, inexpensive way to start the day.