Kanom Jeen Nam Ya (ขนมจีนน้ำยา) / Thai Fish Curry with Noodles

It is almost winter and we have come back to get together again between friends. So when I found turmeric at Whole Foods, I knew I should try to do Kanom Jeen Namya.

Kanom Jeen, despite meaning "Chinese Candy" in Thai, is actually a fresh rice noodle dish in which the noodles are rolled into circles after being boiled. This kind of noodle originated from the Mong people, an ancient tribe in the northern mountains of Thailand but is now very popular throughout Thailand and Southeast Asia with a local variation and specialty in each area of Thailand. In the northeastern they have it with papaya salad, while in the south, the addition of Malay influence to the dish makes for a very spicy and even more savoury Kanom Jeen. The one I'm making here is the traditional Kanom Jeen Nam Ya, which is the most common variation of this dish.

- Daisy

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So sorry to everyone for the long absence. I've been a little blue since leaving Thailand and with law school, I had to put the blog on the back burner. Whoever said the second year is easier is a dirty liar.  But anyways everyone, my bad.  Mom and I are back!

My favorite variation of Kanom Jeen is the one I tried when I was in southern Thailand on vacation in the breathtaking Krabi. Which is inconvenient for my mother since that apparently is the hardest variation to make since it utilizes almost completely different ingredients, most of which are very hard to find in the US. One of these days though, I'll hunt them down and ask my mother to make it for us. Until then, this widely popular and most common version is a delicious alternative.

- Darin

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Kanom Jeen Nam Ya

ขนมจีนน้ำยา

Thai Fish Curry with Noodles

Serves 4

1 package of Japanese Somen Noodles

1 cup Fresh White Fish (flounder, scrod, halibut , haddock, sole, grouper, etc.)
1/2 cup Maesri Red Curry
3 tbsp Shallots, minced
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Galangal Powder
1 tbsp Krachai powder
1/4 cup Thai Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Palm Sugar
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 cup Coconut Milk

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Optional: Fish meatballs (found in the frozen section of most asian supermarkets)

Served with:
Bean sprouts, fresh or blanched

Green Bean, sliced, fresh or blanched

Chinese Mustard Pickle, sliced

Fresh Thai Basil

Boiled Eggs, quartered

Thai Dried Red Chili, lightly fried

Bitter Melon, sliced and blanched

Shallot, fried or fresh

1) Boil the Somen noodles according to package directions for about 3 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking (this type of noodle is very prone to over cooking), and take a handful and use a fork to roll it into circles, much like how you'd eat spaghetti.

2) Heat up a saucepan with vegetable oil and fry the curry for 1 minute then add in the garlic and shallot, sauteing until fragrant.  Approximately 4 minutes.

3) In another pot, on low heat, slowly boil coconut milk and chicken broth together. Put the fish to simmer until done.  The time will depend on how thick is your fish is, but the trick is to lower the heat and poach slowly until done, around 5 minutes.  To check for doneness, the meat will be flaky and easily pull away from the bone. 

4) When the fish is done, use chopsticks to tear off the skin, and then a fork to scratch down the white meat only, discarding the bones, the skin and the fish eggs if there are some.

5) Put the fish meat to the blender and some of the coconut mixture to help out to blend well. Then pour back to the pot. Add on galangal powder, Krachai powder, fish sauce, palm sugar. Let it simmer to boil.  If you are adding fish meatballs as well, which is traditional, add them with the fish to boil according to package directions and then cut in half.  I highly recommend this.  They are delicious.  And no, they do not taste like gefilte fish.  This is WAY better.

4) Add the curry and white whitefish into the broth and stir to combine.  The Nam Ya should be a bit thick, almost like a stew.

5) Assemble the dish.  First put in a couple rolls of noodles, then add the veggies and top it off with the curry.  EAT!

Note: This dish can be eaten either hot or warm or even cold. I recommend it warm. I like to eat with fresh chili and even together with dried chili are fragrant. By then, the heat is on!