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Loading...A beloved southern Thai breakfast dish, this comforting bowl pairs fermented rice noodles with a fragrant, turmeric-rich fish curry broth loaded with pickled mustard greens and fresh aromatics. Customize each bowl at the table with crisp vegetables, herbs, and a squeeze of lime for a bright, deeply savory meal.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings4
Yield4 bowls
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 560 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 12 gSaturated Fat
- 45 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 28 gProtein
- 950 mgSodium
- 480 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 3.5 mgIron
- 22 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Fish Curry Broth
- 500 g firm white fish fillets (mackerel or catfish), deboned
- 4 cups water or fish stock
- 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste
- 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed with the side of a knife
- 4 Thai bird's eye chilies, crushed
For Finishing the Curry
- 1 cup thick coconut cream
- 200 g pickled mustard greens, drained and chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp grated palm sugar
- 500 g fresh fermented rice noodles
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Garnish and Serving
- 1 cup shredded napa cabbage
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
- 1 small cucumber, sliced into thin half-moons
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup pickled mustard greens or fresh banana blossom
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Directions
- Bring the water or fish stock to a gentle simmer in a large pot. Add the fish fillets and poach for 5 to 7 minutes until just opaque and flaky. Carefully lift out the fish, flake it into bite-sized pieces while checking for any remaining bones, then strain the broth through a fine sieve and return it to the pot.
- Whisk the curry powder, turmeric, red curry paste, shrimp paste, smashed lemongrass, and crushed chilies into the hot broth. Bring to a steady simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes so the spices bloom and the broth turns a deep golden color.
- Stir in the chopped pickled mustard greens, fish sauce, and palm sugar, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Return the flaked fish to the pot just to warm through, then gently pour in the coconut cream and stir; keep the heat low so the cream does not boil or curdle. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce or a pinch of sugar as needed.
- Rinse the fermented rice noodles under cool water to wash away the starchy film. Drain well and divide the noodles evenly among four deep serving bowls, mounding them slightly in the center.
- Arrange the shredded cabbage and bean sprouts in a small mound on top of the noodles, then ladle the hot fish curry broth generously over everything, making sure each bowl gets plenty of the fish, greens, and golden liquid.
- Garnish each bowl with cucumber slices, a hard-boiled egg half, fresh Thai basil, extra pickled mustard greens, and a lime wedge.
- Serve immediately with extra chili sauce or fresh chilies on the side so each diner can customize the heat and brightness of their bowl.
Cook’s Notes
- Fresh kanom jeen noodles are sold in the refrigerated section of Thai or Vietnamese markets; if using dried rice noodles, soak in warm water for 30 minutes and blanch briefly before assembling.
- Mackerel is the traditional southern Thai choice, but catfish, snapper, or any firm-fleshed white fish will give you a similar silky texture.
- Pickled mustard greens (nam sai kang) provide the signature tang; substitute with lightly salted sauerkraut or finely chopped Chinese mustard greens if you cannot find them.
- Keep the curry at a gentle simmer once the coconut cream is added; a hard boil can cause the cream to separate and the broth to lose its silky body.
- For an extra-rich finish, swirl a tablespoon of thick coconut cream over each bowl just before serving and sprinkle with a few fried shallots for crunch.
