Num Banh Chok Teuk Kapi (នំបញ្ចុកទឹកកាពិ) – Rice Noodles in Kapi Broth

Num banh chok teuk kapi is a Cambodian rice noodle dish with a thin, yellow fish broth. Kapi is the Khmer word for fermented shrimp paste, and teuk means water. For the broth, you cook snakehead fish with lemongrass, pull the flesh off the bones and pound it with fresh turmeric, fingerroot and lemongrass into a paste. Kapi, salt and sugar make the broth salty and slightly sweet. There is no coconut milk in it.

By Laura Chen · November 4, 2026

1 Std 5 Mintotal

4servings

400kcal

CambodianCuisine ›

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In Cambodia, you put cucumber, bean sprouts, banana blossom, water spinach and fresh herbs in the bowl, add the noodles and pour the hot broth over everything. Everyone at the table takes as many greens as they like.

The better-known version with prahok, coconut milk and a thicker green sauce is Nom Banh Chok. A clear fish soup with lemongrass, served with rice instead of noodles, is Sngor Trey. You also use kapi in the Thai rice dish with shrimp paste, Khao Kluk Kapi, and for a noodle soup with pork broth, try Kuy Teav.

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Num Banh Chok Teuk Kapi (នំបញ្ចុកទឹកកាពិ) – Rice Noodles in Kapi Broth

Name: Num Banh Chok Teuk Kapi (នំបញ្ចុកទឹកកាពិ) – Rice Noodles in Kapi Broth
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cambodian
Ingredients: 600 g snakehead fish, gutted, cut into 3 pieces; 1.8 l water; 4 stalks lemongrass; 30 g fresh turmeric, peeled; 40 g fingerroot (krachai), peeled; 2 tbsp kapi (fermented shrimp paste); 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp sugar; 1/4 tsp MSG (optional); 800 g fresh rice noodles (or 400 g dried thin rice noodles); 1 cucumber, in fine strips; 150 g bean sprouts; 1/2 banana blossom, in thin strips; 100 g water spinach, in 4 cm pieces; Thai basil and mint to garnish

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

25 minutes

Cook time

40 minutes

Calories

400

Cuisine

Cambodian

Ingredients

For the broth:

600 g snakehead fish, gutted, cut into 3 pieces
1.8 l water
4 stalks lemongrass
30 g fresh turmeric, peeled
40 g fingerroot (krachai), peeled
2 tbsp kapi (fermented shrimp paste)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp MSG (optional)

To serve:

800 g fresh rice noodles (or 400 g dried thin rice noodles)
1 cucumber, in fine strips
150 g bean sprouts
1/2 banana blossom, in thin strips
100 g water spinach, in 4 cm pieces
Thai basil and mint to garnish

Instructions

Cut 2 stalks of lemongrass into 5 cm pieces and bruise them. Bring the water to a boil with the lemongrass, add the fish and cook it over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Lift out the fish and let it cool a little. Pull the flesh off the skin and bones. Strain the broth back into the pot.
Thinly slice the tender part of the other 2 lemongrass stalks, the turmeric and the fingerroot. Pound everything in a mortar or blend it in a small chopper with 2 tbsp of broth into a fine paste.
Add the fish flesh and pound it with the paste until you have an evenly yellow, fibrous mixture.
Stir the kapi smooth with a ladle of hot broth. Add the fish mixture and kapi to the pot and season with salt, sugar and MSG if you like.
Simmer the broth gently for 15 minutes. Adjust with salt and sugar. It should taste salty and slightly sweet.
Pour boiling water briefly over fresh rice noodles, or cook dried noodles according to the package and rinse them cold.
Divide the cucumber, bean sprouts, banana blossom and water spinach among 4 bowls. Add the noodles, pour the hot broth over them and scatter on the herbs.

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Num Banh Chok Teuk Kapi (នំបញ្ចុកទឹកកាពិ) – Rice Noodles in Kapi Broth

Ingredients

For the broth:

To serve:

Instructions

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Num Banh Chok Teuk Kapi (នំបញ្ចុកទឹកកាពិ) – Rice Noodles in Kapi Broth

Ingredients

For the broth:

To serve:

Instructions

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