Fish amok

Fish amok is a Cambodian steamed fish curry with coconut and a soft, custard-like texture. Chef Nak builds its flavour on kroeung, a paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric and makrut lime. Her recipe combines the paste with dried red pepper paste, shrimp paste, palm sugar, salt, eggs and coconut cream, then gently folds in cubes of snakehead or another firm white fish.^[1]

The mixture is divided between cups folded from doubled banana leaves and secured with toothpicks. The cups are steamed, then topped with more coconut cream, finely shredded lime leaves and red pepper strips before a final brief steaming. Nak serves the amok warm with steamed rice; the egg helps the coconut mixture set around the fish.^[1]