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Num banh chok (Khmer fish noodles): recipe illustration
Breakfast

Num banh chok (Khmer fish noodles)

Num banh chok is Cambodia's national breakfast: fresh rice vermicelli topped with a freshwater fish sauce flavoured with kroeung, served with banana blossom and raw vegetables. It is eaten early in the morning at markets, piping hot.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Garnitures

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Bring the water to the boil in a large pot with the whole fish or the fillets and cook for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer, then remove the fish, flake it and set the broth aside.
  2. Finely pound the garlic, onions and kroeung in a mortar, then fry them in the oil until fragrant.
  3. Add the prahok and fry for a minute to develop its flavour, then pour in a ladle of broth and stir.
  4. Add the flaked fish and the rest of the broth, season with palm sugar, salt and pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Blanch the vermicelli for a few seconds in boiling water, drain and divide among the bowls.
  6. Pour the hot sauce over the noodles and serve straight away with the raw garnishes on the side for each person.

Variations and tips

Coconut milk version. Add a spoonful of coconut milk to the sauce at the end of cooking for a milder, creamier taste.

Using what you can find here. Replace the prahok with a paste of salted anchovies or nuoc-mam sauce, and the kroeung with a mix of lemongrass and fresh ginger.

More ideas

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Original Ecomely recipe.