Nom banh chok Cambodian rice noodles in fish gravy

Nom banh chok (នំបញ្ចុក), also called “Khmer noodles,” is a Cambodian breakfast dish of fresh rice noodles topped with a green fish-and-lemongrass gravy. It is the most iconic morning street food in Cambodia, sold from woven baskets carried by vendors who serve it cold or at room temperature, often eaten by hand or with chopsticks.

Origin and history

Nom banh chok has been a staple of Cambodian cuisine for centuries, predating the Khmer Empire’s Angkor period. The dish reflects the centrality of freshwater fish in Cambodian food culture, particularly from the Tonlé Sap lake and Mekong River system. The modern diaspora context is defined by the Khmer Rouge genocide (1975–1979), after which approximately 150,000 Cambodian refugees were admitted to the United States between 1979 and the 1990s. Long Beach, California, now has the largest Cambodian-American population outside Cambodia, with roughly 50,000 residents in the Cambodia Town district along Anaheim Street.

Core ingredients and technique

The canonical nom banh chok consists of two components: fresh rice noodles and a fish gravy called samlor proheuk or samlor kor. The gravy is made by boiling freshwater fish (typically snakehead or catfish) with lemongrass and turmeric, then pounding the fish into a smooth paste. The gravy is flavored with prahok (fermented fish paste) and kroeung (a lemongrass-based spice paste), giving it a distinctive green color from turmeric and herbs. The dish is served cold or at room temperature, topped with raw herbs including water lily stems, banana flower, cucumber, basil, mint, bean sprouts, and sometimes shredded green papaya. Diners mix everything together, often using chopsticks or their hands.

Regional and diaspora variants

In Cambodia, nom banh chok is primarily a breakfast dish, sold by mobile vendors from early morning until mid-morning. The gravy can vary by region: in Siem Reap, it is thicker and more turmeric-heavy; in Phnom Penh, it is lighter and more herbal. In the Cambodian-American diaspora, particularly in Long Beach, restaurants such as Phnom Penh Noodle Shack and Battambang Restaurant serve versions adapted to local tastes, sometimes with additional protein like grilled pork or beef.

Distinguishing from similar dishes

Nom banh chok is distinct from Vietnamese bún (which uses a clear, meat-based broth and different herbs like perilla and sawtooth coriander), from Thai khanom jeen (which uses a similar fermented rice noodle but with a curry-based topping sauce), and from kuy teav (a Cambodian breakfast noodle soup with a pork or chicken broth, not a fish gravy).

Dietary notes

Nom banh chok contains fish (both the gravy and prahok), making it unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians. It is naturally gluten-free when made with proper rice noodles. It is not typically halal, as the fish and prahok are not halal-certified, though the dish contains no pork or alcohol. Allergens include fish and fish paste.