Nom banh chok recipe

Fresh fermented rice noodles drowned in a yellow gravy of poached river fish, pounded kroeung and prahok, eaten cold with raw greens.

1 hour and 20 minutesmedium12 ingredients

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh rice noodles
• 500 g white fish fillets
• 4 lemongrass
• 20 g fresh turmeric
• 20 g galangal
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 4 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp prahok
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 banana blossom
• 150 g bean sprouts
• 1 bunch mixed fresh herbs

How to make Nom banh chok

1. Poach 500 g of white fish fillets in lightly salted water for 8 minutes, lift them out, keep 500 ml of the cooking water and flake the flesh with your fingers, removing every bone.
2. Pound 4 stalks of lemongrass with 20 g fresh turmeric, 20 g galangal, 6 kaffir lime leaves and 4 garlic cloves in a mortar for 15 minutes into a smooth yellow kroeung.
3. Pound the flaked fish into the kroeung until the two become one paste. This is what thickens the gravy, not flour.
4. Fry the paste in a little oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it smells nutty, then add 2 tablespoons of prahok and mash it into the pan.
5. Pour in the reserved fish water and 400 ml coconut milk, simmer 15 minutes uncovered and let the gravy cool to lukewarm. The dish is never served piping hot.
6. Shred 1 banana blossom finely and drop it into cold water with lemon juice so it does not blacken.
7. Coil 500 g of fresh rice noodles into bowls. Real num banh chok noodles are fermented and extruded by hand, which is not doable at home; buy them fresh at an Asian grocer.
8. Ladle the gravy over the noodles and pile on the banana blossom, 150 g bean sprouts and a generous bunch of mint, basil and coriander. Each person mixes their own bowl.

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