Kuy teav is Cambodia's go-to breakfast noodle soup: hours-simmered pork-bone broth over rice noodles, finished at the table with herbs, lime, chilli and bean sprouts.
About Kuy Teav
The 'Silk Road' noodle soup — a clear, umami-rich pork bone broth poured over thin rice vermicelli and topped with minced pork, 'shrimp', and crispy garlic oil; reflecting the Chinese-Cambodian heritage of the Northwest, the broth must be simmered for at least eight hours to achieve its characteristic crystalline depth; the 'how-to-eat' ritual involves personalizing the bowl with lime, fresh saw-leaf coriander, and a pungent 'fermented' soy bean paste.
The Morning Noodle Soup Kuy teav is Cambodia's beloved noodle soup, a clear, fragrant pork- or beef-bone broth poured over rice noodles and topped with sliced meat, offal, prawns or meatballs depending on the stall. Simmered for hours, the broth is light yet deeply savoury, and the dish is most often eaten for breakfast.
“Simmered for hours, the broth is light yet deeply savoury, and the dish is most often eaten for breakfast.”
Build Your Own What makes kuy teav personal is the garnish: each bowl comes with a plate of bean sprouts, herbs, lime and chilli, plus condiments on the table, so you adjust the soup to your taste before and during eating. It is a comforting, customisable staple found in markets and shophouses everywhere.
What to Expect
A bowl of kuy teav arrives with a separate plate of bean sprouts, herbs, lime and chilli to add yourself, the broth clear and savoury, the noodles soft and the toppings whatever the stall does best. It is the warm, customisable start to many a Cambodian morning.
Why Try It
It is the everyday noodle soup that fuels Cambodian mornings, light and savoury and tuned to each eater's taste.
Insider Tips
- Add the herbs, sprouts, lime and chilli yourself to season the broth to taste.
- It is primarily a breakfast dish, freshest early in the day.
- Stalls specialise in different toppings, from pork to seafood; pick by what they do best.
