Kyat Thout San
ကြက်သောက်ဆမ်း
Hot, spicy, sour chicken soup. The dish every Burmese person waits for when the rainy season hits. 🌧️ 🍜
A note on style: This is a Rakhine-style recipe. Kyat Thout San has different versions depending on the region in Myanmar, so there’s no right or wrong when it comes to the ingredients — and that’s what makes it so easy for Burmese people to make at home.
Ingredients
- Chicken — 1 whole, cut into pieces
- Garlic — 4–5 cloves
- Shallots — 4 medium
- Ginger — 15 g
- Fresh red chillies — 6–10 (adjust to your spice level)
- Turmeric — ½ tsp
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Paprika — 1 tsp
- Fermented fish paste — 1 tsp (optional — see notes)
- Tamarind juice — 1 tbsp
- Fish sauce — 1 tsp
- Lemongrass — 1 stalk, tied in a mini knot
- Cooking oil — 30 ml
- Lime juice — from 2 limes (adjust to how sour your limes are)
- Chicken broth or water — just enough to cover the chicken
- Culantro (sawtooth coriander) — a small handful, torn
Method
- Make the paste: Pound or grind the garlic, shallots, chillies and ginger together. If you’re using a mortar and pestle, add about ½ tsp salt to make pounding easier.
- Marinate the chicken: Mix the chicken with the paste, turmeric, salt, paprika, fermented fish paste, fish sauce and tamarind juice. Marinate for at least 20 minutes. Tip: if you’re cooking in the morning, marinate it overnight in the fridge — the result will surprise you.
- Start the pot: Heat the oil in a pot over low heat and add the marinated chicken. Leave no bits behind — they’re your soup’s flavour!
- Add the lemongrass: Add the lemongrass and stir until the chicken is firm and cooked on the outside.
- Simmer: Pour in just enough chicken broth or water to submerge the chicken, then simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the lime: Stir in the lime juice and mix well.
- Taste and adjust: Taste the soup and season with more fish sauce, salt, or even a little sugar to your liking. It should be evenly hot and sour.
- Finish: Add the culantro for that extra aroma, and your Kyat Thout San is ready!
Notes: The fermented fish paste is optional, but I love the aroma and thickness it gives the soup. Limes vary a lot in sourness, so add the juice gradually and taste as you go — you want the heat and the sourness evenly balanced.
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