Num Banh Chok

Ingredients

• 600g snakehead fish or cod fillets
• 1.2 litres water
• 3 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed and finely sliced
• 4cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled, or 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3cm piece galangal, peeled and sliced
• 4 makrut lime leaves, central rib removed
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fingerroot (krachai), optional
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 1 tbsp prahok (fermented fish paste), or 1 tbsp anchovy paste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 800g fresh rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 banana blossom, finely shredded
• 150g bean sprouts
• 100g long beans, thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 large bunch Thai basil, mint and coriander, leaves picked
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 red chillies, sliced

Before you cook

• Slice the lemongrass as finely as you can, discarding the woody upper stalks.
• Shred the banana blossom and drop it into water with a squeeze of lime so it does not discolour.
• Wash and pick the herb leaves and arrange them on a large platter with the bean sprouts, long beans and cucumber.
• Pound or blend the lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, lime leaves, fingerroot, garlic and shallots into a fine yellow kroeung paste, adding a splash of water if needed.

Steps

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and slide in the fish fillets.
2. Poach the fish for 8 minutes at a bare simmer until it flakes when pressed.
3. Lift the fish out with a slotted spoon and keep the poaching liquid in the pot.
4. Flake the fish, removing every bone and any skin.
5. Pound the flaked fish in a mortar, or pulse it briefly in a food processor, until it becomes a fluffy shredded mass rather than a paste.
6. Add the kroeung paste to the poaching liquid and whisk it in.
7. Simmer the broth for 12 minutes so the lemongrass and turmeric lose their raw edge.
8. Stir in the prahok and simmer for 3 minutes more.
9. Return the pounded fish to the pot and stir it through.
10. Pour in the coconut milk, then add the fish sauce and palm sugar.
11. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is the thickness of pouring cream.
12. Taste and adjust with fish sauce until it is savoury and unmistakably fishy without being salty.
13. Rinse the fresh rice noodles under warm water and shake them dry, then loosen them into nests.
14. Put a nest of noodles in each bowl and pile a large handful of raw vegetables and herbs on top.
15. Ladle the warm gravy over everything and serve with lime wedges and sliced chilli.