Kanom jeen nahm ya – Rice noodles with fish curry sauce
Kanom jeen are lightly fermented rice noodles that are as widely eaten throughout Southern Thailand as steamed jasmine rice is in the rest of the kingdom. Fresh kanom jeen noodles are near impossible to come across in Britain, but dried rice vermicelli noodles are a good substitute and are minimal fuss to cook.
This recipe pairs the noodles with a sauce that poaches fish and aromatic ingredients together, before making into a curry paste and cooking in coconut milk. Kanom jeen are served with a selection of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and other accompaniments. I’ve made some suggestions that eat well with this particular sauce, but feel free to customise with what you have available to you.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Curry Paste
- 3 dried red chillies, deseeded
- 2 dried bird's eye chillies
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of lemongrass, root and outer husks removed then thinly sliced
- 1/2 tbsp of fresh galangal, chopped
- 4 tbsp of krachai, peeled and chopped
- 4 tbsp of shallots, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tsp shrimp paste
Rice Noodles with Fish Curry Sauce
- 150g of sea bass fillet, pin-boned
- 150g of rice vermicelli
- 250ml of coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp of fish sauce
To Serve
- 4 tbsp of green beans, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp of pickled mustard greens, sliced
- 4 tbsp of beansprouts
- 4 sprigs of Thai basil
- 4 sprigs of fresh coriander
- 4 soft boiled eggs
Equipment
- Pestle and mortar
Method
Cover the rice noodles with lukewarm water and set aside
- 150g of rice vermicelli
Add all the curry paste ingredients except for the shrimp paste and the sea bass fillet to a saucepan with 500ml of water. Bring to a quick boil over a high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Gently poach the sea bass fillet until cooked through, around 4 minutes
- 3 dried red chillies, deseeded
- 2 dried bird's eye chillies
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of lemongrass, root and outer husks removed then thinly sliced
- 1/2 tbsp of fresh galangal, chopped
- 1/4 tbsp of fresh turmeric, chopped
- 4 tbsp of krachai, peeled and chopped
- 4 tbsp of shallots, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp of garlic, chopped
- 150g of sea bass fillet, pin-boned
Remove the cooked sea bass from the poaching liquid and set aside. Continue to simmer the curry paste ingredients for 5 minutes until tender, skimming the poaching liquor as necessary. Strain the curry paste ingredients and keep the poaching liquid. Allow the curry paste ingredients to fully cool
Make the curry paste by pounding all the ingredients in a stone pestle and mortar until very smooth. Add the shrimp paste and mix to incorporate. Transfer to a bowl and set aside
- 1/2 tsp shrimp paste
Remove and discard the sea bass skin. Flake the poached sea bass flesh into a stone pestle and mortar. Pound the flesh into a soft puree, then stir into the curry paste. Set aside whilst you cook the noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Drain the soaked noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and wash under several changes of cold water to ensure the noodles stay separated. Drain well and leave at room temperature
Add 150ml of the sea bass poaching liquor, the coconut milk and salt to a saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and add the curry paste. Stir to dissolve and simmer gently for 15 minutes until slightly thickened and fragrant smelling. Season with the caster sugar and fish sauce. It should taste rich, spicy and salty. The sauce improves and develops in flavour if left to stand off the heat for 30 minutes before serving
- 250ml of coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp of fish sauce
To serve, wrap the noodles into coils around your index and middle fingers. Place in a shallow plate or bowl, serving 2 coils per person. Gently warm the curry sauce back to room temperature then generously spoon over the noodle coils. Top with as much of the serving ingredients as you wish, curating your own plate of noodles
- 4 tbsp of green beans
- 4 tbsp of pickled mustard greens, sliced
- 4 tbsp of beansprouts
- 4 sprigs of Thai basil
- 4 sprigs of fresh coriander
- 4 soft boiled eggs
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