Vegan kanom jeen nam ya: Southern Thai mushroom curry noodles

Vegan kanom jeen nam ya gati pak dai ขนมจีนน้ำยากะทิปักษ์ใต้วีแกน, or Southern style Thai mushroom curry noodles, is a spicy one-plate dish that allows diners to customise each bite with oodles of sides and accompaniments.

Kanom jeen (sometimes spelled khanom jin) is a hugely popular Thai dish consisting of extruded rice noodles served with a variety of curries, fresh vegetables, herbs, pickles, and/or other accompaniments. Nam ya is one of the most famous curries served with kanom jeen noodles.

I've written about kanom jeen nam ya before, but this time I'm going to focus on the Southern version. The main differences between Southern and Central Thai nam ya curry are down to rhizome preference and levels of spiciness. In the South fresh turmeric rules the flavour profile over the finger root that features in Central and Northern versions. Southern nam ya curry also tends to be approximately 7 trillion times more incindiary in the mouth.

A few years ago I encountered a recipe for vegetarian mushroom based nam ya in a highly publicised Thai cookbook. It came as no surprise, given the countless plates of mushroom nam ya I've consumed in Thailand, but I was perplexed when the author claimed ownership of this "unconventional" idea of using mushroom in place of fish. It's true nam ya curry is typically made with fish, but there are plentiful vegan variations in Thailand.

Ingredient notes for vegan kanom jeen nam ya

Just a few notes about some of the ingredients I call for.

• Oyster mushrooms are similar to the mushrooms used in vegetarian nam yaa in Thailand. Their flavour and texture lends well to the curry, but if you can't find them you can use button mushrooms (just know the colour will be darker). Another option, if you dislike mushrooms, is to use rehydrated yuba (sometimes called tofu skin), which you can buy dried in stick or sheet form from well stocked ESEA grocers.
• One of the things that makes Thai curries in Thailand so special is the quality of coconut milk. Use a brand like Aroy-D or Chaokoh if you are able, preferably from a carton rather than a can. Homemade is even better but don't stress about it. Use what's available.
• With regards to kanom jeen accompaniments, there are a whole lot of options. I include recipes for quick pickles and coconut milk simmered vegetables in my recipe below, but if you can't be bothered to make them then so be it. Try to get your hands on some pickled mustard greens and lemon basil (or lemon balm/Vietnamese lemon mint) if you can. Again, don't stress if you can't find them.
• Chillies form a major component of Southern nam ya. It's a very spicy curry. I've minimised the number of chillies in my recipe below, but it's still quite spicy by most farang standards. Feel free to decrease or increase quantities to suit your taste. You can also add fresh red and green bird's eye chillies.

Which noodles should I use for kanom jeen at home?

It is difficult to find fresh kanom jeen noodles outside of Thailand, but dried Guilin or Jiangxi rice vermicelli are an acceptable substitute.

Although fresh imported kanom jeen noodles can occasionally be found at Thai supermarkets abroad, they aren’t consistently available. Additionally the quality isn't great because refrigeration makes them brittle. If you do manage to source some then I recommend steaming them to restore their texture before use.

Look for dried thin extruded rice noodles where the ingredients are rice and water. Jianxi and Guilin noodles are usually reliable choices. Here in the UK my preferred substitute for kanom jeen are the Jianxi rice vermicelli pictured below, only because they tend to be thinner than the Guilin varietals and thus a closer match to fresh kanom jeen noodles in Thailand.

Hand is a reliable Thai brand, but I’m not keen on their dried kanom jeen noodles (pictured below in the yellow box). They are wheat based and more akin to Japanese somen noodles than kanom jeen.

Storage and other notes

This curry will keep for a week or so in the fridge, but it also freezes quite well. The pickles will last longer in the fridge but do not freeze well. The coconut milk simmered vegetables should be used within a few days. If you have any leftover coils of noodles, refrigerate them in a sealed container. When you want to use them, pop them in a steamer for a few minutes (they get very brittle when cold).

A lot of foreigners are confused by cutlery in Thailand. All rice based dishes are eaten with a fork and spoon, while noodle soups and noodles that are Chinese in origin are consumed with chopsticks. Noodles that are Thai in original, such as pad thai, drunken noodles, and kanom jeen, are consumed with a fork and spoon.

📖 Recipe

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Southern Thai kanom jeen nam ya (vegan mushroom nam ya curry with noodles)

This is an exceptionally easy curry to make because the blender handles the bulk of labour. None of the steps are difficult and you can make the pickles and coconut simmered vegetables a day or two in advance if you want. Store them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before use. All of the accompaniments (including pickles and coconut milk simmered veg) are optional, but I recommend you have at least a few different sides to complement the curry noodles.

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 120 grams dried thin rice noodles such as Guilin or Jiangxi
• 300 millilitres water
• 200 millilitres coconut milk
• 3 small dried Thai chillies
• 2 heaped tablespoons thinly sliced lemongrass 15 grams (See notes¹)
• 2 teaspoons peeled chopped fresh turmeric 5 grams
• 1 teaspoon vegan shrimp paste or Korean doenjang 6.5 grams (See notes²)
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns 1.3 grams
• ½ teaspoon chopped galangal 1.4 grams
• 1 clove garlic ~4 grams
• 1 teaspoon thin soy sauce See notes³
• 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning powder See notes⁴
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 makrut lime leaves torn
• 130 grams oyster mushrooms

Sweet and sour quick pickles

• 60 millilitres distilled white vinegar (not rice vinegar) ¼ cup
• 60 millilitres white sugar ¼ cup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• selection of thinly sliced or shredded vegetables Popular vegetables include thinly sliced (and quartered, if large) cucumber, shredded carrot, shredded green papaya, thinly sliced shallot, thinly sliced red and/or green chillies, bean sprouts.

Coconut milk simmered vegetables

• 125 millilitres water ½ cup
• 45 millilitres coconut milk or cream 3 tablespoons
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• bite sized vegetables (e.g. white cabbage, green bean, morning glory)

Vegetable accompaniments for serving

• lemon basil Vietnamese lemon balm is easier to find and a good substitute
• pickled mustard greens available at East and Southeast Asian markets
• bean sprouts
• shredded cabbage
• long or green beans, cut into small pieces
• sliced cucumber
• ground preserved radish, Thai basil, chunks of fresh pineapple, pennywort, water dropwort, aubergine (pea and/or Thai), sator (petai) beans, fried dried chillies, shredded banana blossom, laksa leaf, rice paddy herb, lettuces, water mimosa, horse tamarind seeds (kratin), cashews... See notes⁵

Instructions

Make the noodles

• To prepare, boil the noodles per packet instructions. Taste a strand for doneness (it should be cooked beyond al dente but still hold firmly together). Strain the noodles with a colander, rinse with lots of water to take some of the heat out, and immediately dump them into a container of cool water. Agitate the noodles with your hands to make sure they are cool and don’t clump together.
• Place a large plate or tray next to the vat of noodly water. Reach in, take a small handful of noodles, and use a fork or the breadth of your fingers to twist the noodles into small coils. I don’t fuss about the size too much, but they should sit comfortably in the palm of an average sized adult hand. The fork method is easiest; plop the noodles right on the plate/tray, and use a fork to twist them up as if you were twirling spaghetti. Try to keep the coils as flat as possible, but if they become tower-like, press them down with your palm to flatten slightly.
• Set aside for at least half an hour (and up to a few hours) at room temperature before using. You want them to be firmed up and a little sticky before they’re ready for use. You should be able to pick a bundle up without it changing shape or falling apart.

Make the pickle

• Add the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt to a small saucepan. Heat, stirring regularly, until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat off. When the liquid is completely cooled, add enough of the vegetables so the liquid covers them.
• Cover and leave for at least two hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before use.

Make the coconut milk simmered vegetables

• Add water, coconut cream, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer. Add veg of your choice and cook until the vegetables are knife tender (you should be able stab them with a knife or fork with no resistance). This should take around 8-10 minutes. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature before use.

Make the curry

• Combine the water and coconut milk. Give it a stir to combine.
• Add half the liquid to a blender, along with the chillies, lemongrass, turmeric, shrimp paste, peppercorns, galangal, and garlic. Liquidise to a smooth consistency. Pour the blended liquid into a saucepan and bring to a vigorous, rapid simmer over medium high heat.
• Add soy sauce, seasoning powder, salt, sugar, and lime leaves. Once the contents are simmering, set a timer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining coconut milk and water mixture back to the blender, along with the mushrooms. Blend just enough to break the mushrooms down into small pieces. Do not blend into a smooth sauce; you want some texture.
• Once the timer pings, add the blended mushroom liquid. Knock the heat down to low and give it a good stir. Cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
• Turn the heat down and allow to cool at least slightly. The curry can be served either warm or at room temperature. Discard the lime leaves.

Make the veg and herb plate

• Prepare a plate with a selection of vegetable accompaniments and condiments. I've listed what I think are the most essential accompaniments separately, with a further list of other options bunched together. This isn't something to stress about. Use what you want and have access to. If you have no access to Asian supermarkets you can even use things like rocket/arugula and more easily sourced herbs like chives and dill.

Put it all together and serve

• Place some noodle skeins on two lipped plates and pour the curry over. Serve alongside the pickles, coconut milk simmered vegetables, and the veg and herb plate. Diners can add the accompaniments as they wish to customise each bite.

Notes

1. Use only the lower end of the stalk with purple rings. This might mean you need more than one stalk.
2. Vegan shrimp paste is easily sourced in Thailand, but fermented Korean bean paste (doenjang) is the most similar product easily available in the UK.
3. Try to source Thai soy sauce if you can. Here’s a photo of Thai thin soy sauce. Otherwise use whatever light soy sauce you have on hand.
4. I’m a big fan of Lee Kum Kee brand, which is easily sourced at Chinese grocers in the UK. You can use other brands or even bouillon, but you may need to lessen the salt amount if it contains sodium.
5. I provided a list of possibilities for accompaniments but they're not required nor are they exhaustive. It's just to give you an idea of how expansive the sides for kanom jeen can be. If you're in London, you can source some of these things from Khun Ya supermarket in Bermondsey. Raan Nuch is an excellent online option.