Cambodian Fish Amok
Fish Amok is one of the dishes I return to again and again—not because it’s famous, but because it holds the soul of Khmer cooking. The curry is built on kroeung: lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and kaffir lime, pounded until fragrant and alive. Then we bring in coconut cream, herbs, and a gentle set from egg, steaming everything until the texture becomes silky—almost like a savory custard. The result is calm, balanced, and deeply Cambodian. Fish Amok isn’t just a dish; it’s a story we carry forward through taste and care.
From my cookbook NHUM - Recipes from a Cambodian Home Kitchen.
METHOD
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Serves: 4–6
Time: Prep 25 min • Cook 12 min • Total ~45 min
Difficulty: Medium
Key flavors: coconut, lemongrass, kaffir lime, gentle heat
Best with: steamed rice, Cambodian Malys Angkor -
1 kg fish fillet (snakehead or any firm, mild white fish)
20 g kroeung (Cambodian lemongrass paste)
320 g coconut cream (fresh preferred; if canned, unsweetened)
80 g dried red cubanelle pepper paste
10 g shrimp paste
30 g palm sugar
5 g salt
2 eggs
1 long red pepper (garnish)
3 kaffir lime leaves (garnish)
Optional (traditional): banana leaves + toothpicks (to form cups)
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Cut the fish into 2–3 cm cubes. Reserve about 20 g of coconut cream for garnish. Shred the long red pepper into thin strips, soak briefly in cool water to curl, then dry and set aside. Finely shred kaffir lime leaves and set aside.
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In a mixing bowl, combine kroeung, pepper paste, shrimp paste, palm sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix gently until smooth. Add coconut cream and stir until well combined. Add fish and gently stir to coat evenly. Rest 15–20 minutes.
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Cut 24 circles of banana leaf (about 15 cm) and wipe both sides with a clean wet cloth. Stack two circles with the shiny side facing out. Fold to form four corners and secure with toothpicks to create cups. Fill each cup to 80% with the amok mixture.
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Bring water to a boil in a steamer. Place the cups in the rack, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Uncover and top each cup with a teaspoon of coconut cream, a pinch of shredded kaffir lime, and a few strips of red pepper. Cover again and steam 2 more minutes.
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Serve warm with steamed rice (best with Malys Angkor rice).
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Mix gently and steam carefully; fish amok should be silky and aromatic, never heavy.
The recipe is in my cookbook "NHUM.”
