A popular noodle soup made with beef or pork broth.
Brought by Teochew Chinese immigrants to Cambodia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (the name kuy teav comes from Teochew "粿條", flat rice noodle). Adopted as Phnom Penh's default breakfast soup and localized with dried squid in the broth — a Khmer touch absent in mainland Chinese versions. The Saigon "hu tieu" is the same word and the same migration story.
Brought by Teochew immigrants in the late 19th century; name from 粿條 (flat rice noodle). Dried squid simmered with pork bones is the unsung load-bearer — the briny-sweet depth that makes it not pho. Teochew cooks call it 老火, long fire.
A morning bowl: clear pork-bone broth, thin flat rice noodles, sliced pork or beef, a few prawns, fried garlic oil, scallion and cilantro. Bean sprouts, lime, chili, and hoisin go on at the table. Lighter than Vietnamese pho — no star anise, no cinnamon — the broth tastes of bones and dried squid.
Dried squid is the unsung load-bearer: a few pieces simmered with the pork bones for hours give the broth its distinct briny-sweet depth that makes kuy teav not-pho. Teochew cooks call this technique 老火 — long fire — and skim aggressively so the broth stays clear. A cloudy bowl means the boil ran too hard.
Variations
Kuy teav Phnom Penh (pork-bone-and-dried-squid base, the canonical morning bowl); kuy teav sach ko (beef offal, southern provinces); Battambang stalls add fish balls; Vietnamese hu tieu Nam Vang is the cousin sold in Saigon, sweeter and with more garnish.
On the Palate
Where Kuy Teav sits in the Cambodian flavor cloud
Ingredients
How it's made
5 steps · 25 min active + 30 min waiting
- 110 min
Place bones in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises, about 10 minutes.
Watch outSkim frequently to keep the broth clear.
- 25 min
Add spices to the pot, reducing to a simmer. Let the broth develop its flavors over low heat, about 30 minutes.
Watch outEnsure the broth simmers gently, not boils, to extract flavors without cloudiness.
- 33 min
Cook rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- 42 min
Thinly slice beef or pork, and briefly poach in the simmering broth until just cooked, about 2 minutes.
Watch outDo not overcook the meat; it should remain tender.
- 55 min
Assemble the bowls by placing noodles at the bottom, topping with poached meat, and ladling hot broth over. Garnish with fresh herbs for a burst of freshness.
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