Skip to content

Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Nom banh chok (Khmer fish curry noodles)

Nom banh chok is a Khmer dish of rice noodles topped with a green fish curry, served with raw vegetables and fresh herbs. This recipe for 4 people takes 50 minutes, medium difficulty, for about €4.00 per person. The key to it is the contrast between the warm, creamy sauce and the crisp raw vegetables added right before eating.

Tonight, the classic Khmer breakfast dish, nom banh chok, fresh rice noodles in a green fish curry, topped with raw vegetables and herbs.

Nom banh chok (Khmer fish curry noodles)
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.00
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall, Spring

Nom banh chok starts with the sauce. A green curry built on fish, perfumed with lemongrass and ginger, thickened with coconut milk and seasoned with fish sauce. Underneath, freshly cooked rice vermicelli soak up the flavors without ever turning mushy. On top, a mix of raw vegetables and herbs bring crunch and freshness to every spoonful.

This is a dish for an evening when you have a bit of time ahead of you, unhurried but not complicated either. It works well for a dinner that breaks from routine, shared with guests curious about new flavors. Everyone builds their own bowl, more or less herbs, more or less heat, which also makes it a good choice for a table with different tastes.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 500 g

Pantry

  • Rice vermicellioften in the pantry 300 g
  • Coconut milkoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Green curry pasteoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemongrass 2
  • Fresh ginger 2 tsp
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Shallots 2
  • Cucumber 1
  • Green beans 100 g
  • Bean sprouts 100 g
  • Fresh mint 8 sprigs
  • Fresh basil 8 sprigs
  • Lime 1

Allergens Shellfish, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Poach the fish in simmering water with the crushed lemongrass and ginger, then flake it. 10 min

    Keep a cup of the poaching water, it will be used to loosen the sauce.

  2. Blend the flaked fish with the garlic, shallots, green curry paste and a little poaching water.

    Blend into a thick paste, but not too smooth.

  3. Pour the paste into a saucepan with the coconut milk and fish sauce, and let it simmer. 10 min

    Stir occasionally, the sauce shouldn't catch on the bottom.

  4. Cook the rice vermicelli, rinse and drain them. 4 min

    Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch.

  5. Divide the noodles among bowls, ladle over the sauce and top with cucumber, raw green beans, bean sprouts and herbs.

    Squeeze a little lime on top just before eating.

Our tips to get it right

  • Crush the lemongrass well before adding it to the poaching water, that's what releases its full aroma into the broth.
  • Don't blend the fish for too long, the paste should keep a bit of texture for a pleasant sauce.
  • Prep all the vegetables and herbs before sitting down to eat, this dish is served hot and assembled at the last minute.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for hake or monkfish, two firm white fish that hold up well and pair nicely with the curry.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with crumbled firm tofu, poached, and swap the fish sauce for soy sauce.
  • To save time, use rice vermicelli that only needs soaking, and make the sauce the day before, reheating it gently.

What to serve it with

  • Homemade iced green tea
  • Shrimp fritters as a starter
  • Cold lime water

Storage

The curry sauce keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container and reheats gently in a saucepan. The noodles and raw vegetables should be prepped just before serving, they don't keep once assembled. The sauce freezes well for up to a month, thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the curry sauce can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Reheat it gently in a saucepan before pouring it over freshly cooked noodles.

What fish can I use instead of cod?

Any firm white fish works, like hake, monkfish or whiting. Avoid oily fish, which would change the taste of the sauce.

Can this dish be frozen?

The curry sauce freezes well for up to a month in an airtight container. The vermicelli and raw vegetables don't freeze, they should be prepped fresh right before serving.

How do you make this milder for kids?

Reduce or skip the green curry paste, which brings most of the heat, and serve the raw vegetables on the side so kids can choose what goes into their own bowl.

How long does it take to make a nom banh chok?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a nom banh chok?

About 510 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 nom banh chok cost?

About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

South and Southeast Asian Cuisines

See all

Recipes with raw garlic

See all