Rice Noodles with Fish Curry (Khanom Chin Nam Ya)
ขนมจีนน้ำยา khanom chin nam yaSay it: ka-NOM jeen nam-YAH
Khanom chin nam ya is a classic Thai dish of soft fermented rice noodles topped with a gently spiced fish curry. It is common in Central and Southern Thailand, eaten as a quick lunch or shared meal. The sauce is built on coconut milk, curry paste and krachai, a peppery rhizome with a citrus-like bite, then balanced with fish sauce and palm sugar. It tastes creamy, savory and fragrant, with a warm chili hum rather than fierce heat, and it is served with crisp raw vegetables and herbs.
Rice Noodles with Fish Curry (Khanom Chin Nam Ya)
ขนมจีนน้ำยา, khanom chin nam ya
Pronounced ka-NOM jeen nam-YAH
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish, shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the nam ya curry paste
For the curry and rice vermicelli
Method
Drain the soaked chilies, reserving a little soaking water. Pound the chilies with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, 2 tbsp (20 g) of the krachai, shrimp paste, salt, white pepper and coriander root to a smooth paste, adding a splash of chili water if needed. Alternatively, blend in a small food processor.
If using dried rice vermicelli, boil until just tender, then drain and rinse under warm water; if using fresh khanom chin, rinse briefly in warm water and drain. Arrange the cucumber, bean sprouts, lime wedges and half the Thai basil on a serving platter.
In a wide pot, bring 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the coconut milk to a gentle simmer. Add the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and the coconut oil separates at the edges.
Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water. Bring to a gentle simmer, add the fish, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Lift the fish out with a slotted spoon, flake it, and return it to the pot.
Add the reserved 1 tbsp (10 g) krachai, fish sauce and palm sugar. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce or sugar.
Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup (10 g) Thai basil. Serve the warm rice vermicelli in bowls, ladle the fish curry over, and pass the platter of cucumber, bean sprouts, lime wedges and arranged basil at the table.
Regional variants
Some cooks add a little turmeric for color, and others serve extra blanched vegetables alongside; in the south, extra krachai is often added for a sharper bite.
Cook's notes
- Pound the paste finely so it melts into the coconut milk; a blender works if you add a splash of coconut milk.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after the fish goes in, or the flakes will break apart.
- Frozen or jarred krachai is a good stand-in for fresh; add it a little earlier if frozen.
Serve with
Cucumber, bean sprouts, Thai basil and lime wedges.
Make ahead and storage
The curry sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of water. Cook the rice vermicelli just before serving.
