Cambodia & Recipe: Fish Curry and Fresh Rice Vermicelli – "Nam-ya Curry" (ការីណាំយ៉ា)

In Cambodia, festive meals almost always include a dish made with fresh rice vermicelli (នំបញ្ចុក [nom bânh-chok]), served with plenty of raw vegetables (អន្លក់ [ân-luk]) and accompanied by a fairly thick, coconut-milk-based soup, most often containing flaked freshwater fish and seasoned with numerous spices. The soup resembles a liquid curry. One of the most popular versions of this dish is called "nam-ya" (ណាំយ៉ា) or "nam-ya curry" (ការីណាំយ៉ា).

Fresh rice vermicelli

Ingredients

• 1 kg freshwater fish (e.g. striped snakehead, ត្រីរស់ [trey ros])

• 1 liter coconut milk

• 250 g roasted peanuts

• 1 bowl of spices (see below)

• 4–5 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 5 tbsp fish stock

• 2 tbsp oil

• Raw vegetables

For the spice mix

• 5–6 stalks lemongrass, minced

• 1 piece galangal, chopped

• 1 small piece turmeric, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 shallots, thinly sliced

• 3 smoked chilies (ម្ទេសឆ្អើរ [mtès ch'ae]), rehydrated and chopped

• 5–6 kaffir lime leaves (ស្លឹកក្រូចសើច [sleuk kroch saech]), thinly sliced

Vegetables

• Cucumber, cut into sticks

• Banana blossom, thinly sliced

• Sesbania flowers (ផ្កាស្នោ [phka snao])

• Water hyacinth flowers (ផ្កាកំប្លោក [phka kâm-plaok])

Preparation

1. Prepare the spice mix by grinding the ingredients together in a mortar, or, more easily, in a food processor. Set aside.

2. Boil the fish, then flake it, making sure to remove all skin and bones. Set aside.

3. Toast the peanuts and roughly crush them. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix the flaked fish with most of the spice mix and the salt.

5. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the remaining spice mix. Sauté briefly, then add the sugar and fish stock.

6. Add the fish-and-spice mixture, sauté for four to five minutes, stirring thoroughly, then add the coconut milk.

7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Simmer for about twenty minutes. If the mixture thickens too much, add water. Once cooked, stir in the crushed peanuts.

8. Serve the vegetables, the liquid curry, and the fresh rice vermicelli separately.

How to eat it

To enjoy, simply line the bottom of a large bowl with a mix of vegetables, add a portion of rice vermicelli on top, then ladle over two or three scoops of curry. Mix thoroughly before digging in.

Nam-ya ready to serve

Tips

Adjust the amount of smoked chili to taste. Many other vegetables can be used: yardlong beans, dragon beans, eggplant… let yourself be inspired by whatever you find at the market.

That said, it's rare for the vegetable selection not to include edible flowers. Many species of freshwater fish can be used in this recipe — preferably choose a lean fish with abundant flesh and few bones.

Text and photographs: Pascal Médeville