Thai Fermented Rice Noodles with Spicy Chili Sauce

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This classic southern Thai dish pairs cool, tangy fermented rice noodles with a fiery, chunky chili sauce made from dried chilies, shrimp paste, and palm sugar. Fresh vegetables, herbs, and tender fish are arranged alongside so each diner customizes their bowl with the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and herbal notes.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 475 kcalCalories
• 11 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 68 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 12 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 1180 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 135 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 45 mgVitamin C
• 320 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the spicy chili sauce

• 20 dried Thai chilies, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons shrimp paste
• 3 tablespoons palm sugar, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

For the noodles and protein

• 400 g fresh fermented rice noodles
• 2 whole mackerel fillets (about 300 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved

For the fresh vegetable accompaniments

• 1 small cucumber, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 100 g long beans, cut into 5 cm lengths
• 1/4 small green cabbage, thinly shredded
• 100 g fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and gently poach the mackerel fillets for 8 to 10 minutes until just cooked through; remove, flake into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.
2. Drain the soaked chilies and combine them in a mortar or food processor with shallots, garlic, and shrimp paste; pound or pulse to a coarse paste.
3. Transfer the chili paste to a small saucepan with 1/4 cup water, palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste; simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Stir the cherry tomatoes into the sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, keeping the texture chunky; remove from heat and taste for a balance of salty, spicy, sweet, and sour.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, briefly dip the fermented rice noodles for 30 to 60 seconds just to loosen them, then drain and rinse under cool water; divide among four shallow bowls.
6. Arrange the cucumber, long beans, cabbage, bean sprouts, basil, and mint on a large platter and place on the table alongside the eggs and flaked fish.
7. Spoon a generous amount of the warm chili sauce over each portion of noodles, then top with flaked mackerel and an egg half.
8. Serve immediately, encouraging diners to take bites of noodles with sauce plus a mix of fresh vegetables and herbs for the classic contrast of textures and temperatures.

Cook’s Notes

• Use authentic fermented rice noodles for the signature tang; do not substitute with regular rice vermicelli as the flavor and texture will be very different.
• Adjust the chili quantity based on your heat tolerance; deseed the chilies for a milder sauce while keeping the vibrant red color.
• Toast the shrimp paste wrapped in foil over an open flame for 2 minutes before pounding to deepen its savory aroma.
• The chili sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator; gently reheat with a splash of water before serving.
• For a vegetarian version, swap the fish for fried tofu cubes and replace the fish sauce with light soy sauce plus an extra pinch of salt.

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