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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Kuy teav with pork, Cambodian rice noodle soup

Kuy teav is a Cambodian rice noodle soup with pork, serving 4, ready in 40 minutes, and easy to make for about €2.80 per person. The key is the broth, deepened by a charred onion simmered with the bones, and the fried garlic that adds crunch right before serving.

Feel like a steaming bowl? I'm making you a kuy teav, the Cambodian rice noodle soup with pork, herbs, and crunch.

Kuy teav with pork, Cambodian rice noodle soup
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Kuy teav starts with the broth. It looks light, but it carries the smoky taste of charred onion and the gentle sweetness of simmered pork. The rice noodles soak up all of that without ever feeling heavy, and the crunch comes at the very end, from fried garlic, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs added just before serving.

This is a weeknight soup, the kind you make when you want something warm and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids usually love the noodles and the mild broth, and everyone can adjust their own bowl with more or less lime, chili, or fried garlic. Mon Chou suggests it for fall and winter evenings when a steaming bowl hits the spot.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork tenderloin 400 g
  • Pork bones or hock 400 g

Pantry

  • Rice noodles 300 g
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Bean sprouts 200 g
  • Green onions 4
  • Cilantro 6 sprigs
  • Lime 1

Allergens Soy, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Char the onion, cut in half, cut side down, in a dry pan, then drop it with the bones into 1.5 liters of cold water and let it simmer. 25 min

    Skim well at the start, the broth will stay clear and clean.

  2. Brown the minced garlic in the oil until crispy and crunchy, then set it aside. 3 min

    Pull it out before it darkens, it should crackle when you bite into it and flavor every bowl.

  3. Meanwhile, slice the pork tenderloin very thin. Season the broth with the fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper, then drop the meat in for a few minutes. 5 min

    Add the raw meat straight into the simmering broth, it cooks in two minutes and stays tender.

  4. Soak the rice noodles according to the package instructions, drain them, and divide them among the bowls with the bean sprouts. 5 min

    Rinse them under cold water after cooking so they don't stick together.

  5. Pour the broth and pork over the noodles, top with fried garlic, green onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

    Serve with chili and lime on the side, so everyone can adjust their own bowl.

Our tips to get it right

  • Slice the pork tenderloin very thin, almost see through, it will cook in just a few minutes once it hits the hot broth.
  • Make a slightly bigger batch of fried garlic than you need, it keeps for a few days in a jar and perks up any soup.
  • Taste the broth before you ladle it into bowls, the fish sauce and sugar should balance each other without either one taking over.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for thinly sliced chicken, and simmer the broth with a chicken carcass instead of pork bones.
  • For a vegetarian version, use a vegetable broth flavored with the same charred onion, and replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.
  • For kids, serve the noodles and plain broth in their bowl, and offer the fried garlic, cilantro, and lime on the side.

What to serve it with

  • A light green tea
  • Spring rolls as a starter
  • Fresh chili or chili sauce on the side

Storage

The broth keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well on its own, without the noodles. Cook fresh noodles right before serving, since they lose their texture once reheated. Warm the broth over low heat until simmering before assembling the bowls.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the broth ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better that way, since the flavors have time to develop overnight. Just reheat it gently over low heat before assembling the bowls with fresh noodles.

What's the difference between kuy teav and pho?

Cambodian kuy teav uses a clearer, less spiced broth than Vietnamese pho, often flavored with just a charred onion rather than a mix of spices. Pork usually replaces beef in this dish.

Can you use something other than pork bones?

A pork hock works just as well and adds shredded meat to the broth too. If you only have tenderloin on hand, the broth will be a bit lighter but still flavorful thanks to the charred onion.

How do you get really crunchy fried garlic?

Mince the garlic finely and cook it over medium heat in oil, pulling it out as soon as it turns golden and before it darkens. It keeps cooking slightly off the heat, and overcooked garlic turns bitter.

How long does it take to make a kuy teav, the Cambodian rice noodle soup with pork?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a kuy teav, the Cambodian rice noodle soup with pork?

About 480 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a kuy teav, the Cambodian rice noodle soup with pork cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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