Awhile ago one of my blog reader, Kevin, put in a request for Kuy Teav Cha គុយទាវឆារខ្មែរ(Cambodian Fried Rice Noodles) recipe. He wanted to see the difference and similarities between the Cambodian version and the Thai version. After I replied to his question my childhood memories came through.
When I was in grade school I lived in a very large Cambodian community called Park Village (known to Cambodian people as Oak Park) in Stockton, CA. The complex consist of about 300+ Khmer refugee families. It was like a mini Cambodia. Many people use their 2-bedroom apartment to sell groceries, candies, home made goods, cigars and alcohol. I remember one lady who used to make Kuy Teav Cha for sale. She put them into a zip lock size bag. It only cost $1 at that time. The bag cames with fried noodles, shredded eggs, peanuts and a little small container of fish sauce. She was my favorite Kuy Teav Cha vendor. I enjoyed going to her house on weekends to buy them. It’s been long since I’ve made this dish and with a few pointers from my Mother during my last visit I decided to do tackle it again.
I think it’s a cross between the infamous Thai version of fried noodles known as “Pad Thai” and the Vietnamese cold rice noodle mixed with fresh and pickled vegetables topped with some sort of meat and fish sauce known as “bun thit”. Cambodian fried rice noodles is much easier to make than Pad Thai or Bun Thit. It requires very few ingredients. What makes a delicious Cambodian fried noodle and the most important ingredient is the fish sauce dressing. It is what binds everything together and completes the dish.
Ingredients
1 lb dried rice noodle stick (small size) pre-soak in warm water for 30 minutes until soften
4 large (jumbo) eggs, beaten
5 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped or crushed
fish sauce dressing (see recipe)
assorted fresh herbs such as mint leaves, Asian mint (coriander), and basil
Method:
Heat a non-stick pan until hot then lower to med-high heat. Use cooking spray if your pan tend to stick. Ladle about 1/3 cup of beaten eggs and pan fry the eggs forming a pancake like-shape. Use a spatula to flip and cook the other size. Since they are thin it should not take long to fry them. Once they are cook remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat the same process until all the beaten eggs are gone.
Cut the stacked fried eggs in half. Then fold the bottom half up and thinly slice them leaving you with shredded fried eggs. Set aside.
Next, drain the soak rice noodle sticks and add 5 tablespoons sweet soy sauce. Use either your hands or chopsticks to toss and coat the rice sticks.
Now it’s time to fry the noodles. Heat (again) a non-stick pan and add noodles to your liking. You can also add cooking spray to prevent the noodles from sticking to the pan. Use chopsticks to toss them so that they cook evenly. The noodles can still be sticky. Do not be alarm. Just sprinkle some water to soften and separate them. This step also goes by fairly quickly so do not step away!
Once your noodles are fried transfer it to a serving dish. Add shredded fried eggs, sprinkle some chopped peanuts and add the fish sauce dressing. The amount of these toppings will vary depending on your liking. I personally like lots of eggs and peanuts on mine. 
Throw in your favorite fresh herbs and combine everything together. It is now ready to eat. Adjust to taste. You will notice that after adding the fish sauce dressing the noodles have loosen up a bit making it a bit easier to toss and combine.
Looks yummy!Your recipes are mouth watering! =) Would you happen to know the recipe for Meeh Kola?
Nary,
Thanks for your compliments.
Honestly, I have never had Mee Kola. Although I have heard it before. I will look into this dish and if ever I do try it I will definitely share with you my comments and perhaps a recipe too.
Thx for taking the time to post a recipe for kuytiev cha, this is my all time favorite noodle dish, I’ll surely try this out and let u know how it goes. Thx again!
Kevin,
Not a problem. I’m glad you mentioned it because as you can see it did made me try it.
YUM![ its me on youtube ; dianengim] LOL
You used to live at OakPark? whatttt? I Live at manchester so i always got good food to eat! My mom and aunt always makes this! Mee kola is the same BUT dey have boiled eggs, jruk (sometimes lahong & carrot or cabbage, carrot, cucumber OR whatever jruk yu like], mint, basil, roasted peanuts, pounded dried shrimp (optional) & sweet fish sauce.
This is so good, I make with eggrolls on top so good.
Hi!
I just stumbled on this site looking for good homemade real Cambodian food and I was shocked about where yo use to live. I use to live in “Oak Park” too from 1986- 1993.I lived in Apt. #39 right off the main road close to the park.Dang we might have been neighbors in our little village.When did you live there? I went to Van Buren elementary, Hamilton Middle school and Stagg High.
I do remember buying the katiev cha from this lady who sold them in plastic baggies. I use to save my money just to buy it or candy from the candy house near the train tracks, or the fried chicken from across the old pool or the vietnamese lady that came to see the Baloot eggs.
Oh the memories there at oak Park. I was planned to someday write a book about growing up at Oak Park since it was like living in a Cambodian village until you step off Alvarado Ave. and into the real world.
Thanks for all the delish recipes. You can email me if you like then we can see if we had known each other.I live in the Boston area now and any mention of my hometown always brings back memories.
Thanx again!
Vannessa Hung Loeurn
Vannessa,
What a small world huh? I lived in “Oak Park or Park Village” around the same time frame as you too. I think my family moved several time within the village. I’m not too sure. But the last apartment # I can recall is #71, bottom one along the main road. We moved out of there in the 90s and I ended up attending Lodi Unified School District from middle school on.
I remember the fried chicken from the house by the pool
The wings were deeply battered to make them look big. Also red food coloring was added. It was served up with ketchup. Ahh.. the good old days. Actually my Mother still makes fried chicken wing the same way. Dad and siblings all got used to eating it with ketchup til this very day.
You are also right about living in a Cambodian village. When I share my childhood stories to other people, they would say the same. As a matter of fact, they said that I probably did not miss out much of growing in Cambodia. To me, that statement is also true because the things I’ve seen, heard, done and played are about the same as if I were to actually live in Cambodia. I still have fond memories of them.
Over the years and especially when they start to renovate the complex, things have changed in my opinion. I moved right before then and I know many have also moved out since but not to far, just scattered around instead of being centered within a complex. Stockton will always be known as a city with a high Khmer population due to it’s location and climate.
Glad to hear from someone who shared the same childhood memories. Welcome to my site.
Hi I like that you have this recipe. I was wondering if you’ve found out how to make mee kola too. I know it’s almost like this recipe. Instead of you used boiled eggs, salty dried shrimp (pounded), thinly sliced pickled cucumbers… no fish sauce just the sweet soy sauce. I don’t know what else goes in there, but that’s all i remember. If you find out that would be awesome!
[...] about the rest of the day if there is anything to report… for dinner, i’m making this cambodian fried rice noodles with pickled carrot and daikon!! STOKED!!! also already made this chipotle salsa which was ooookay. [...]
[...] more about the rest of the day if there is anything to report… for dinner, I’m making this cambodian fried rice noodle with pickled carrot and daikon!! STOKED!!! also already made this chipotle salsa which was ooookay. [...]