How to cook Khao Piak Sen noodles in 5–7 minutes
Khao Piak Sen (ข้าวเปียกเส้น) is Lao chicken noodle soup built around one thing: a thick, chewy fresh rice-and-tapioca noodle that thickens its own broth as it cooks. Vietnamese kitchens call it bánh canh. Traditionally you make the noodles yourself — mix, rest, roll, cut, dust — and that is the afternoon. With a pack of fresh noodles that part is done. Here is the rest.
Broth, noodles and toppings, start to finish. The noodles themselves take 5–7 minutes.
The method
Bring your broth to a boil
Chicken stock from a carton, pork bone broth, or the fast way from the video — a spoon of chicken bouillon in water. Add a smashed garlic clove or a slice of ginger if you have one.
Add the fresh noodles straight from the pack
No soaking. No rinsing. Drop them in, stir once so they do not clump, then simmer 5–7 minutes — they are done when they are chewy all the way through and floating freely.
Watch the broth turn silky, then top it
The tapioca thickens the broth into the glossy, spoon-coating texture that makes Khao Piak Sen what it is. Ladle it out and eat right away. It keeps thickening as it sits.
Three ways to make the broth
Rotisserie chicken + bouillon
Shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Simmer the bones in water with a spoon of chicken bouillon for 10 minutes while you prep toppings. This is the method in the video.
Boxed chicken stock
Bring a carton of stock to a boil with a pinch of salt and a crack of pepper. The noodles will do the rest — even thin stock turns rich.
Pork bone broth
Parboil pork ribs, then simmer with garlic, shallot, ginger and fish sauce for an hour. Weekend soup. Worth it.
Finish it your way.
The classic bowl is chicken, fried garlic, cilantro, green onion and a squeeze of lime. Everything else is fair game.
Good to know.
Is Khao Piak Sen the same as bánh canh?
Close cousins. Both are thick, chewy rice-and-tapioca noodles served in soup — Khao Piak Sen in Laos, bánh canh in Vietnam. Dog Dig noodles work for either.
Why does the broth get thick?
Tapioca starch on and in the fresh noodles releases into the broth as they simmer. That silky, spoon-coating texture is the whole point — do not rinse it away.
Can I use them in other soups?
Yes. Any brothy soup works — chicken, pork, beef, tom yum. Expect the broth to thicken a little.
Are the noodles gluten-free?
Yes — rice and tapioca, no wheat. Check your broth and toppings separately.
How long do fresh noodles keep?
Up to 2 months refrigerated, unopened and vacuum-sealed. Once opened, cook within a few days.
Ready to cook? Get the noodles.
From $9.99 a pack, shipped in a thermal liner — or find them at an Asian market near you.