Traditional Cambodian fish amok: fish curry custard with coconut milk steamed in banana leaf

Amok is an ancient technique of the Khmer kingdom: steaming, inside banana leaves, a seasoned coconut milk custard. It is said to have been served to the kings of Angkor, and it remains the dish every visitor to Cambodia tries first, in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, in leaf cups folded by hand and pinned with toothpicks.

The soul of amok is kroeung, the spice paste at the base of Cambodian cooking: lemongrass, galangal, fresh turmeric, garlic, shallot, kaffir lime zest and chili, pounded into a yellow, fragrant paste. Mixed with coconut milk, egg and a little shrimp paste and palm sugar, and steamed with the fish, it becomes a firm, delicate custard, milder than any Thai curry.

Noni leaves, slightly bitter, line the bottom of the cups in Cambodia; spinach or chard play the part elsewhere. Freshwater fish is traditional, but any firm white fillet will do. It is served with jasmine rice and a drizzle of coconut cream on top.

Recipe card

• Origin: Cambodia
• Category: Main course, steamed fish
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation time: 40 minutes
• Cooking time: 30 minutes
• Serves: 4

Ingredients — kroeung paste

• 3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1 piece of galangal, 3 cm (or ginger), chopped
• 1 piece of fresh turmeric, 3 cm (or 1 teaspoon ground)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 shallots (or 1 small onion)
• Zest of 1 lime (or 4 kaffir lime leaves, rib removed)
• 2 dried red chilies, soaked (or 1 fresh red chili)
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (optional)

Ingredients — amok

• 500 g firm white fish fillet (tilapia, hake, sea bass) in 3 cm cubes
• 400 ml coconut milk (reserve 4 tablespoons of the thick part to finish)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup spinach or chard leaves in strips
• Banana leaves for the cups (or ramekins)
• Thin strips of red chili and shredded kaffir lime leaves to garnish
• Jasmine rice to serve

Method

1. Pound or blend all the kroeung ingredients with a little water into a fine paste.
2. Pass the banana leaves quickly over a flame to soften, cut into 20 cm squares and fold the edges into cups, pinning the corners with toothpicks (or use ramekins).
3. In a bowl, mix the coconut milk (minus the reserved part), egg, kroeung, fish sauce, sugar and salt until smooth.
4. Add the fish cubes and mix gently.
5. Line the bottom of each cup with the spinach leaves and distribute the fish with the custard on top.
6. Place the cups in the steamer over boiling water, cover and steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the custard sets and the fish is cooked.
7. Drizzle with the reserved coconut cream, garnish with the chili and lime leaf strips and serve with jasmine rice.

Tips and variations

• Steam that is too strong makes the custard split and weep: keep the water at a gentle boil.
• The kroeung can be made in double quantity and kept in the fridge for a week or frozen in portions.
• Chicken or tofu amok follows the same recipe.
• Without a steamer, bake in a water bath covered with foil at 180 °C for 30 minutes.
• Galangal has its own flavor; ginger will do, with a different result.
• A spoonful of ground toasted peanuts in the custard is common in some versions.
• Serve with a tart green salad with lime to contrast with the coconut.

Fish amok is the delicacy of Khmer cooking: a coconut and fish pudding fragrant with lemongrass, served in a leaf. Unlike anything else, and easy to love from the first spoonful.