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When Wannarin (Lyn) Kamkwa came to New Zealand, she brought a secret weapon – a recipe that’s more than 100 years old.
The recipe, for Thai noodle soup, has been in Kamkwa’s family for generations.
“It was passed down from my great-grandmother to my grandma, then to my mother who sold the soup on the streets of Bangkok,” she says.
The soup’s local connections don’t stretch back quite as far, but it has been here for a quarter of a century.
When Kamkwa came to New Zealand in 2001 she started her business, Kamkwa Authentic Thai Street Food, and began selling the soup at markets in Clevedon and Beachlands.
During winter, demand for her soup is especially high, often fueled by word of mouth.
“It’s become very popular. People come from all over Auckland just to try the noodle soup. We have to keep making more and more as we keep selling out too early!”
Although the complete recipe remains a family secret, Kamkwa is happy to share some details, all essential for making the soup just as her great-grandmother used to make it back in Thailand.
“We make our own handmade meatballs, rice noodles are used and most of the ingredients in the soup come from Asia, including galangal (similar to ginger), pandan leaves, star anise, coriander seeds, palm sugar and cinnamon sticks,” she reveals.
“The [broth] is made with pork bones, cooked slowly for at least 24 hours. It is a long process, but it’s worth the effort because people really appreciate it, and that makes me happy too.”
