Written by: Mustafa-ur-Rehman
Posted on: June 15, 2020 | 
| 中文
Khow Suey with Deep Fried Noodles on Top
As the most important port city, and biggest commercial hub of Pakistan, Karachi has been the location of mass migration ever since Partition in August 1947. This has meant that the city’s culture, food, and lifestyle has remained under a wide variety of influences. This diversity is perhaps most apparent in the city’s culinary landscape, and foods such as the humble dish of khow suey, which is one of the most loved dishes in Karachi, tells the rich story of the city’s cosmopolitan history.
Khow suey is a one-dish soup meal originally from Myanmar (Burma). It is made with egg noodles and curried beef or chicken with coconut milk and served with a number of condiments. It is a sweet yet spicy make-it-yourself comfort food that people in Myanmar still eat with some variations.
Burmese Khow Suey
At first, it is difficult to imagine the relationship between Myanmar and Pakistan, but history may provide some explanations for this cultural phenomenon. This dish was popularized in the city by the members of the Memon and Gujarati communities settled in Karachi. The roots of this relationship are traced back to World War II, when Indian forces were deployed in Burma to protect the frontier of the Empire from the Japanese. But even in colonial India, Memons were a thriving business community that often ventured to the far ends of East Asia to trade textiles, paper, and other goods.
After Partition in 1947, and when Burma gained independence as Myanmar a year later, a large number of Memons migrated to Pakistan, while others settled in Myanmar, namely in the city of Yangon. Those who settled in Karachi, and remained close to their Burmese roots, established a vibrant Pakistani-Myanmarese community, which became a part of the social and cultural fabric of the city.
The second wave of Indians who migrated from Myanmar to the Indian Subcontinent came as a consequence of the 1962 military coup. Since the junta was a strong proponent of religious intolerance and the removal of foreign settlers, the Memon community considered it prudent to move back to their homeland.
As they settled into Karachi, they brought with them Burmese cuisine, which grew popular with the locals and other communities who came to Karachi under similar circumstances.
Street Food Khow Suey
There are some slight variations between the two versions of khow suey, owing to taste palettes and available ingredients. The original version is light and soupy, with a chicken broth serving as the base of the soup. Gram flour, coconut milk, and sautéed meat are added to the soup, before it is served over egg noodles and some garnish items like chili, onions, and parsley. The Pakistani version uses spaghetti instead of egg noodles as the base, and tops them with curry made of gram flour and coconut milk. Crunchy texture is added using layers of fried spaghetti and samosa dough. Green chilies and ginger are added to garnish.
Homemade Khow Suey
Khow suey is easily the most popular dish among Memon and Gujarati communities today. It is a must-have for any event, whether it is lunch after Friday prayers or a dinner party for the extended family, and some even make the noodles by hand.
Restaurants all over Karachi serve this dish: Pan-Asian restaurants like Soi or Khao Dosa in Defence area serve Khow Suey that is more authentic to its original form. But you can also find this dish in local food vendors, like Lala’s Food Corner of the famous Burns Road or the famous Mirchili Food franchise all over Karachi.
A Khow Suey Bowl from Mirchili
Khao Suey from food vendors is prepared with a more desi and meat-emphasized flavor, prepared with a lot of spices and crispy shavings to satisfy local tastes. However, as more home-based Khow Suey businesses begin to emerge, each attempt to make the dish their own with new ingredients and flavors.
Khao Samosa by Burmese Bowls
Khow suey is an excellent example of how food and culture are so closely linked to a city’s history and migration. The different influences came together to create a dish that belongs to Pakistan and Myanmar, without much issue of contention or debate about the best version. Just like the Memon and Gujarati communities in Karachi, khow suey is solidified as an important part of Karachi’s delicious and multicultural landscape.
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