In 2016 we visited Cambodia. We bought a motorbike and explored Cambodia before crossing the border to Vietnam. In Cambodia, I did my first cooking class. In fact, Dwayne and I enjoyed two Cambodian cooking classes on the same day.
One dish we made in both classes was the fish amok. Each dish was made slightly different, and I have used ideas from both and come up with my own take on Cambodian Fish Amok. Needless to say, I think it turned out pretty good. Otherwise, I would not be passing on my creation to you guys… I would hide it away with all my other failures!
In the class, we made baskets with a banana leaf to steam the fish in. I didn’t get a chance to buy banana leaves, so I used a couple of ramekins I have on board instead. I also had to use a make-shift steamer because I don’t currently have one. I managed with what I had on board, and our lunch, which we ate while anchored off Koh Kradan (Thailand), was delicious.
Cambodian Fish Amok
Ingredients (for two)
300g fish
2 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, hard outer lay removed
3 large cloves of garlic
2 small Asian shallots or half a small-medium red onion
5cm x 1cm length of turmeric
3cm x 2cm piece of galangal
2cm x 2cm piece of ginger
1 large double kaffir lime leaf
2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
200ml coconut cream (reserve 4 tbs)
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
pinch of salt
about 50 g of thinly sliced kale (or noni (amok) leaf if you have it)
1/2 tsp of corn flour or rice flour
Method
Slice fish and set aside in refrigerator until needed.
Thinly slice the kaffir lime leaf, add to mortar and with the pestle, grind it until it is well crushed. Then add thinly sliced lemongrass, crushed garlic, finely diced shallots, thinly sliced ginger and galangal. And continue to crush and grind. Add the chilli flakes and shrimp paste and continue to crush and grind until you have a fine paste.
Mix the paste with the fish, coconut cream, sugar, salt, chicken stock and thinly sliced kale.
Let the mix marinate for 20 minutes, then put it into ramekins or banana leaf baskets.
Steam for 25 min and then remove from steamer. Gently heat the reserved coconut cream with the cornflour until it thickens. Pour a little coconut cream onto the fish amok and garnish with thinly sliced red chilli and kaffir leaf. Serve with rice.
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