Amok
Amok is Cambodia's most celebrated dish — a steamed fish curry made with coconut milk, kroeung paste, and kaffir lime leaves, traditionally cooked and served inside banana leaf cups. The banana leaf vessel is functional, not decorative: it shapes the custard as it sets and imparts a subtle green fragrance. The texture is the defining characteristic. Unlike a poured curry, amok is steamed until it sets into a silky, custardy mass — soft but sliceable, lighter than its components suggest. The kroeung paste — lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime peel, shallots, and dried chilli — is what separates it from Thai coconut curries. Steaming time is precise; overcooking produces a grainy, rubbery texture.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600 g white fish fillets (tilapia, snapper, or catfish), skin removed, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 400 ml coconut milk (1 x 400 ml can)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 lemongrass stalks, pale parts only, very finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3 shallots (about 100 g), finely minced
- 1 tsp galangal paste (or 1 cm fresh galangal, grated)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes or 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, very finely shredded
- 4 large banana leaf squares (30 x 30 cm), softened over a flame, or 4 ramekins
- 20 g fresh basil or Thai basil leaves, to garnish
How to make it
- 1Pound or blend the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, galangal, turmeric, and chilli into a smooth paste.
- 2In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, beaten eggs, fish sauce, and sugar until combined.
- 3Stir in the spice paste and half the shredded kaffir lime leaves.
- 4Add the fish pieces and fold gently to coat; marinate for 15 minutes.
- 5Soften the banana leaf squares over a gas flame or in hot water for 30 seconds until pliable.
- 6Fold each into a cup shape about 12 cm across and 4 cm deep, securing with a toothpick.
- 7Divide the fish mixture evenly among the 4 banana leaf cups, filling each about two-thirds full, then scatter the remaining kaffir lime leaves on top.
- 8Set the cups in a bamboo steamer over boiling water, cover tightly, and steam for 18-20 minutes until the amok is just set — no longer liquid when the cup is gently tilted — and the top is slightly firm to the touch.
- 9Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
