Coconut Curry with Fish and Noodles (Khanom Jeen Naam Yaa Plaa)

Serves
serves 6-8 People
Time
1 hour 30 minutes

AUSTIN BUSH

Ingredients

3 lb. white-fleshed sea fish (such as threadfin, bream, fluke, or sea bass), scaled and gutted
1 tsp. Thai thin soy sauce
¹⁄₂ tsp. fine sea salt
15-18 dried Thai chiles (¼ oz.), stemmed
2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced (¼ cup)
3 lemongrass stalks, green tops trimmed, tough outer layers discarded, thinly sliced (½ cup)
1 tbsp. sliced fresh turmeric
1 tbsp. Thai shrimp paste
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen shredded coconut
12 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
¹⁄₂ tsp. Thai chicken bouillon powder (optional)
Fish sauce (optional)
4 cups cooked khanom jeen or bún noodles
Pineapple slices, Thai eggplants, hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced long beans, or Thai basil, for garnish

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This thin curry is often served with fresh vegetables and toppings such as preserved cucumbers, radishes, eggs, and dried fish. Khanom jeen noodles might be hard to find; substitute thin dried bún, Vietnamese rice noodles, prepared according to the package directions.

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What You Will Need

Ingredients

3 lb. white-fleshed sea fish (such as threadfin, bream, fluke, or sea bass), scaled and gutted
1 tsp. Thai thin soy sauce
¹⁄₂ tsp. fine sea salt
15-18 dried Thai chiles (¼ oz.), stemmed
2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced (¼ cup)
3 lemongrass stalks, green tops trimmed, tough outer layers discarded, thinly sliced (½ cup)
1 tbsp. sliced fresh turmeric
1 tbsp. Thai shrimp paste
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen shredded coconut
12 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
¹⁄₂ tsp. Thai chicken bouillon powder (optional)
Fish sauce (optional)
4 cups cooked khanom jeen or bún noodles
Pineapple slices, Thai eggplants, hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced long beans, or Thai basil, for garnish

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Instructions

Step 1

In a large pot, add the fish, soy sauce, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the fish is cooked, 8–10 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate to cool.

Step 2

Strain the stock and discard any solids. Measure 2 cups liquid, then reserve the rest for another use. Clean out the pot.

Step 3

Flake the meat from the cooled fish. Reserve 1 cup and save the rest for another use.

Step 4

In a mortar and pestle, pound the salt and chiles to a coarse powder. Add the peppercorns and repeat. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and turmeric, and pound and grind to a coarse paste. Pound in the shrimp paste. Set aside.

Step 5

Make the coconut cream and milk: In a large bowl, add the coconut and 2 cups of water. Mix until totally saturated, then squeeze and strain the meat, reserving the liquid. (This is the coconut cream.) Add the meat back to the bowl, along with 4 more cups of water. Mix until saturated, then strain the liquid into the stock pot. (This is the coconut milk.)

Step 6

In a blender, purée the fish, curry paste, stock, and half of the prepared coconut cream, then add to the stockpot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the kaffir lime leaves, the remaining coconut cream, and the sugar and bouillon powder if using. Return to a low simmer for 18–20 minutes; do not boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce as needed.

Step 7

To serve, top ½ cup of noodles in a shallow bowl with about 1⅓ cups of the curry. Serve with the toppings on the side.

In a large pot, add the fish, soy sauce, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the fish is cooked, 8–10 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate to cool.
Strain the stock and discard any solids. Measure 2 cups liquid, then reserve the rest for another use. Clean out the pot.
Flake the meat from the cooled fish. Reserve 1 cup and save the rest for another use.
In a mortar and pestle, pound the salt and chiles to a coarse powder. Add the peppercorns and repeat. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and turmeric, and pound and grind to a coarse paste. Pound in the shrimp paste. Set aside.
Make the coconut cream and milk: In a large bowl, add the coconut and 2 cups of water. Mix until totally saturated, then squeeze and strain the meat, reserving the liquid. (This is the coconut cream.) Add the meat back to the bowl, along with 4 more cups of water. Mix until saturated, then strain the liquid into the stock pot. (This is the coconut milk.)
In a blender, purée the fish, curry paste, stock, and half of the prepared coconut cream, then add to the stockpot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the kaffir lime leaves, the remaining coconut cream, and the sugar and bouillon powder if using. Return to a low simmer for 18–20 minutes; do not boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce as needed.
To serve, top ½ cup of noodles in a shallow bowl with about 1⅓ cups of the curry. Serve with the toppings on the side.