Pepperlime and Sugarplum: The Khao Suey Experience

I have a confession to make: I happen to be of the Memon persuasion. As a result, I am genetically predisposed to be a sucker for Khao Suey. Also as a result, I struggle to believe that there is anyone who can make better Khao Suey than those which are made at home. This makes me a very difficult customer when it comes to evaluating Khao Suey, and woe betide an inferior product. Perversely, this means I almost always try the Khao Suey when they are available, so have had my fair share.

I was aware of Pepperlime & Sugarplum owner Saira Faruqi more as a cakes and desserts specialist for a few years, back when she would prepare desserts to order for friends and family. Her ascent into the top tier of Karachi's customised cake artists has been swift, and one that I have observed from a distance, as well as enjoying the fruits of her efforts on occasion. It wasn't really until the 2017 (rain-hit) edition of the Karachi Eat Festival that I was exposed to her Khao Suey offering, and was quite impressed with it (coming from a Memon, this means a lot, and I will say more later). 

Having a positive first experience, we decided to place an order for chicken Khao Suey, for pick-up from DHA. Ordering process was super smooth, and the order was ready for collection when I went to pick it up. the various components were packed individually, which was great because traditionally Khao Suey are served in their individual components (and not as a finished whole), for each diner to then assemble their dish based on their personal preferences, and then top off with the condiments of their choosing. The condiments, as well as the main components of the dish, had all been refrigerated to maintain freshness, which is good to note. 

Once dinnertime came round, the components just needed to be dished out, heated, and served. Again, being a bit of a traditionalist approach, we chose to serve each individual component, as well as the various condiments, individually. This does mean that the proportions as delivered (which are for a standard assembled portion) may not work for you; however, I felt that the portion of coconut curry was an extremely generous one, and would have drowned out the rest of the dish had we used all of it. 

Quite a spread! (this is three portions)

I prefer to assemble my Khao Suey a little at a time; it allows me to get a feel for the subtle variances in flavour in the components of a particular batch and tweak accordingly. Here's how I assembled mine (all of these components come with the Khao Suey):

1. Build a base of boiled noodles
2. Place a good portion of the chicken curry
3. Ladle on the coconut curry, until the noodles are thoroughly coated, but not swimming in it (its Khao Suey people, not noodle soup!)
4. Sprinkle on some chopped spring onions, coriander, and cucumber, in that order
5. Add a generous dose of chopped up boiled egg
6. Sprinkle over a bit of deep fried garlic, tossed in chili powder
7. A big handful of crispy fried samosa patti, for the crunch
8. Drizzle a few drops of chili oil (that stuff packs a punch)
9. Finally, a squeeze of lemon to finish it all off. 

And here's the finished bowl

For a "home cook" dish, the flavours are incredibly complex. The two curry components stand out in particular. The chicken curry is well cooked, balance of flavours on a standalone basis is great, and the gravy in it is very little, resulting in a "bhuna gosht" element that for me is critical as a base for the dish. The chicken is well cooked to the point of literally melting in your mouth, and the spice level is moderate, which allows the individual flavour notes to shine through. 

The coconut curry, though, is the absolute star of the show. It is this element that normally imparts a level of uniqueness to each interpretation of Khao Suey. In memon households this curry is normally a runnier version of the "besan ki kadi", with some coconut elements added in the background. This version is a lot more Burmese in its inspiration. Lashings of coconut milk, a bit of heat to give it some depth (but not too spicy), and perfectly balanced flavours. In Thai cooking, they say that a mouthful of curry must have distinct stages: spicy, sour, sweet and creamy. I can feel some of that inspiration guiding this execution. 

The condiments work extremely well, not only with the two curry elements, but with each other. It's the cucumber that really surprises; it provides these pockets of texture throughout the overall smooth features of the dish, and the coolness of it offsets the heat coming from the chili oil exceptionally well. The freshness of the lemon and coriander lifts the dish, providing a fragrance note just as much as a flavour one, and the boiled egg provides a different dimension of smoothness to the texture, Deep fried garlic, as a taste and a textural element, is difficult to describe. There is a hint of bitterness to the background, while the foremost tastes are incredibly sweet; it's an incredible dichotomy. My only gripe was that the garlic was tossed in chillis, meaning i couldn't binge out on them the way I would have liked. 

I do understand that, given the style of presentation, each person's final version of the dish will vary, and hence the individual experience will be just as much a matter of personal interpretation as it is the base offering. This does mean that every experience will be different; but put differently, this means every experience will be unique. 

When Khao Suey are done properly, no two servings on the same table are the same. That is the design of this dish (and for a lot of Burmese food also). This element of customisation is missing from a restaurant offering of this dish. Pepperlime & Sugarplum, in the way that they execute their orders, manage to deliver on that element perfectly. This results, with a little bit of effort at home, in the ultimate Khao Suey 'experience'. Not to mention that the taste is fantastic, not only what you may come across in a restaurant, but also unique to you. Be assured, there will be no bowl of Khao Suey anywhere like the one in front of you. And that is a good thing. 

Pepperlime & Sugarplum is a home-based business; owner Saira Faruqi is active on several food groups on Facebook. A portion of Khao Suey costs Rs 450, and pickup locations are in KDA Scheme 1 and DHA Phase VI. Delivery is also available (at a charge).