Bún kèn is a specialty of Phú Quốc, the island in Vietnam where the world’s best fish sauces, including Hayward’s Red Boat Fish Sauce, are made. The foundation for the dish is a slow-simmered stock made from yellowtail collar, which is available at Asian markets. The stock melds with coconut cream and lemongrass to create a tangy orange curry that is ladled over warm rice noodles, then topped with coconut fish sauce and a blanket of fresh herbs.

This recipe appears in the new “Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook” by Cuong Pham, with Tien Nguyen and Diep Tran. Note that this recipe calls for coconut cream, which you will find alongside coconut milk in markets. Do not substitute cream of coconut, which is heavily sweetened.

Bún kèn (Coconut Fish with Noodles)

Serves 4 to 6

STOCK:

1 pound yellowtail collar

¼ pound shallots, diced

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 stalk lemongrass

1 cup cilantro stems

CURRY SAUCE:

2/3 cup annatto oil, divided (see recipe below)

½ pound white onion, diced

1 cup finely minced lemongrass

2 ounces cilantro root, or 4 ounces cilantro stems, minced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons ground turmeric

1½ cups coconut cream

2 tablespoons minced fresh makrut lime leaves, midribs removed

2 to 4 Thai chiles

¼ cup Red Boat Fish Sauce

TO SERVE:

6 cups cooked vermicelli rice noodles

1 bunch rau răm or mint

2 cups bean sprouts

1 bunch basil leaves

1 bunch cilantro leaves

1½ cups shredded Japanese cucumber

1 cup shredded green papaya (peeled, seeds removed)

½ cup shredded carrot

Coconut Nuoc Cham (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

To make the stock, place the yellowtail collars in a pot large enough to fit the collars snugly. Add the diced shallots and peppercorns.

Trim the lemongrass tops until you see the pink center. Discard the portion above this pink center, leaving only the lemongrass base. Halve the lemongrass lengthwise and use the back of your knife to bruise and smash the base of the lemongrass, then add both halves to the pot.

Using the same knife technique, bruise and smash the cilantro stems; add them to the pot.

Add 5 cups water or enough to cover the yellowtail collars. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and remove the yellowtail collars from the pot. Once they are cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bone.

Return the bones to the pot. Let the bones steep for another 15 minutes, then line a strainer with a fine mesh cloth and strain the stock into a mixing bowl. Discard the solids.

Rinse the pot to remove any remaining grit, then return the stock to the pot. Return the meat from the fish to the pot; set aside.

For the curry sauce: In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons annatto oil and the diced white onion. Resist the urge to stir: Let the onions fry undisturbed until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer the oil and onions to the fish stock, then pour ¼ cup stock into the pan to deglaze it, using a silicone spatula to scrape the pan clean.

Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining (a generous 1/3 cup) annatto oil, the minced lemongrass, cilantro roots and garlic. Stirring constantly, toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric and cook for 15 seconds, then transfer the whole mixture to the fish stock.

Using the same saucepan, add the coconut cream, makrut lime leaves and chiles and turn the heat up to high. Use your spatula to dislodge any bits of lemongrass, cilantro or garlic that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Once the cream starts to boil, turn off heat and let the leaves and chiles steep for 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut cream, leaves, and chiles into fish stock, and add the fish sauce as well. Stir to combine.

To assemble the bún kèn, cook the noodles according to package instructions. For each serving, place 1 cup  cooked noodles at the bottom of a serving bowl. Top with a few pinches of rau răm or mint, bean sprouts, basil, cilantro and shredded cucumber, green papaya and carrot. Spoon 1 tablespoon Coconut Nuoc Cham over the noodles. Gently rewarm the curry sauce, then spoon a few ladlefuls over the noodles.

Serve the bowls of bún kèn alongside a platter of any remaining garnishing herbs, as well as the Coconut Nuoc Cham.

Coconut Nuoc Cham

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup Red Boat Fish Sauce

2 Thai chiles, seeds and ribs removed, if desired, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lime juice

1 cup Red Boat Palm Sugar or granulated sugar

7 ounces coconut water

DIRECTIONS

In a small pot, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool before transferring into a jar. It’s ready to use immediately, but it will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.

Annatto Oil

In a small pan over medium heat, combine 1 cup canola or grapeseed oil and ¼ cup annatto seeds. Cook, stirring the annatto constantly, for 4 minutes. Let the oil cool for 15 minutes. Strain, discard the seeds, and store the oil, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

— From “The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook” by Cuong Pham, with Tien Nguyen and Diep Tran (Harvest/HarperCollins, $25)