Nom Banh Chok (Cambodian Rice Noodles with Fish Curry Sauce)

About This Recipe

Nom banh chok — sometimes called Khmer noodles — is the quintessential Cambodian breakfast, eaten by millions each morning from roadside stalls where vendors ladle light fish curry broth over freshly made rice vermicelli before dawn. The noodles are traditionally made by stone-grinding soaked rice, fermenting briefly, and pressing through a sieve — a laborious process that produces noodles with a slight sourness and textural delicacy. The broth is lighter than amok: a fish-based curry fragrant with kroeung paste, lemongrass, and sometimes prahok (Cambodian fermented fish paste) for depth, topped with fresh bean sprouts, banana flower, cucumber, and an explosion of fresh herbs. Nom banh chok is deeply embedded in Cambodian daily life — historically eaten after Buddhist ceremonies, after harvest work in the rice paddies, and as fuel for the early morning before the heat of the day sets in.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gthin rice vermicelli, cooked per packet
• 500 gwhite fish fillets (catfish or snapper), cut into chunks
• 600 mlwater or fish stock
• 200 mlcoconut milk
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tsppalm sugar
• 3 stalkslemongrass, bruised
• 3 cmfresh galangal, sliced
• 2 cmfresh turmeric
• 4shallots
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1 tspshrimp paste
• 2kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cupbean sprouts, for serving
• 0.5banana flower, outer petals removed, thinly sliced
• 0.5cucumber, julienned
• 1 handfulfresh mint and holy basil leaves
• 2limes, halved
• sambalor fresh chili, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Make kroeung paste

   Blend lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, and kaffir lime leaves into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Poach the fish

   Place fish in water or stock with 1 bruised lemongrass stalk. Poach over medium heat 8-10 minutes until just cooked. Remove fish, reserve the broth. Flake fish finely, discarding bones and skin.

3. 3

   Fry the paste

   In a separate pot, fry kroeung paste in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat 5 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Build the broth

   Add the reserved poaching broth and coconut milk to the fried paste. Bring to a gentle simmer 10 minutes. Season with fish sauce and palm sugar.

   The broth should be lighter and more fragrant than a curry — strain if you want a completely smooth broth.

5. 5

   Add flaked fish

   Return flaked fish to the broth. Simmer 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Place a generous nest of rice vermicelli in each bowl. Ladle hot broth with fish over the noodles. Top with bean sprouts, banana flower slices, cucumber, and fresh herbs. Serve with lime and chili.

Variations

• •

  Nom banh chok Siem Reap style: brighter yellow with more turmeric and a crunchier vegetable garnish.

• •

  Vegetarian version: replace fish with mushroom broth and use miso instead of shrimp paste.

Storage

Store broth separately from noodles, refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat broth gently and assemble fresh — noodles sitting in broth become mushy quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions