Noodles · Thailand

How Many Calories in Kanom Jeen Nam Ya?

Also known as ขนมจีนน้ำยา, Khanom Chin Nam Ya, Thai Rice Noodles with Fish Curry, Kanom Jeen Nam Ya Pa.

Fresh fermented rice noodles (kanom jeen) topped with nam ya, a thin fish curry made from pounded fish, krachai (fingerroot) and a little coconut milk, served with a table of raw and pickled vegetables you pile on yourself. A 30 to 40 baht market breakfast.

330kcal / 1 plate
A 350g plate of kanom jeen nam ya is about 330 calories, the figure in the Thai Department of Health food table. About 150 calories are the 150g of rice noodles, around 150 are the fish curry, and the vegetables on the side are close to zero. A hard boiled egg on top adds 75.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 plate (350g)AmountPer 100g
Calories330 kcal94 kcal
Protein16 g5 g
Carbs40 g11 g
Fat12 g3 g

Where the calories come from

Kanom jeen rice noodles150g
150 kcal
Nam ya fish curry150g
150 kcal
Raw vegetables and pickled mustard greens50g
20 kcal
Fried dried chili3g
15 kcal

The real talk

Kanom jeen looks like a lot of food for 330 calories, and it is. Fresh rice noodles are about 100 calories per 100g because they are mostly water, so the 150g nest on a plate is only 150 calories. The nam ya is a thin curry, not a thick coconut one: a stall ladle of about 150g is around 150 calories, and most of that is the fish and the small amount of coconut milk. That is the whole plate.

The type of nam ya changes the number. Nam ya pa (Isan style, no coconut) is about 100 calories a ladle, so the plate drops to 280. Nam ya kati (southern style, thick with coconut milk) is closer to 220 a ladle, so the plate climbs to 400. Nam ngiao from the North and gaeng keow wan (green curry) over kanom jeen both run 380 to 450 a plate because of the coconut and pork.

The best part is the vegetable table. Bean sprouts, long beans, cabbage, Thai basil, pickled mustard greens and cucumber are all sitting there for free, and a big pile adds about 20 calories. Load half the plate with vegetables and it eats like 600 calories of food. The one thing to be careful with is the fried dried chili and the fish sauce; the chili is fried in oil, and 5 pieces are around 30 calories.

How the portions compare

280 kcal
Small plate, nam ya pa (no coconut)
330 kcal
Standard plate, nam ya (Department of Health, 350g)
500 kcal
With boiled egg and second nest of noodles

Kanom Jeen Nam Ya variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Kanom jeen nam ya pa280 kcalIsan style, no coconut milk
Kanom jeen nam ya330 kcalCentral Thai, light coconut
Kanom jeen nam ngiao380 kcalNorthern tomato and pork rib curry
Kanom jeen nam ya kati400 kcalSouthern, thick coconut milk
Kanom jeen gaeng keow wan450 kcalGreen curry chicken topping

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Is kanom jeen fattening?
The noodles are not; 150g of fresh kanom jeen is about 150 calories, less than the same weight of cooked rice. The topping decides the plate: 280 for nam ya pa, 330 for nam ya, up to 450 for green curry.
How many calories in kanom jeen nam ya with a boiled egg?
About 405 calories: the 330 calorie plate plus a 75 calorie hard boiled egg. The egg adds 6g of protein, which the plate is a bit short on.
Kanom jeen vs pad thai, which is lower in calories?
Kanom jeen nam ya at 330 for 350g is far lighter than pad thai at 577 for 244g in the Department of Health table.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical street stall or food court serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on Thai Department of Health (กรมอนามัย) via health.kapook.com kanom jeen nam ya 350g = 330 kcal; hdmall.co.th 332 kcal per plate. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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