National Dish Cambodia: Fish Amok (Recipe)
In this article
Fish Amok is a steamed fish custard, not a curry. Coconut cream, egg and kroeung paste set around the fish in a banana leaf cup, and the finished texture should be soft enough to eat with a spoon and firm enough to hold its shape.
About Fish Amok
Amok is Cambodia’s national dish and it is defined by two things: the steaming, and kroeung, the lemongrass-galangal-turmeric paste that underpins most Khmer cooking. Unlike Thai curry, it uses little or no chilli. The flavour is aromatic and citric rather than hot.
The banana leaf cup, called a chheung, is folded and pinned. An ovenproof dish works but loses the aroma the leaf contributes.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 300 g fresh fish (e.g. tilapia or mackerel)
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste
- 2 banana leaves (or an ovenproof dish)
- Fresh herbs (e.g. basil or coriander), to garnish
Shopping for the ingredients
Use a firm white freshwater fish; in Cambodia it is snakehead from the Tonlé Sap. Tilapia is the closest available. Buy thick coconut cream rather than thin milk, since the dish needs to set. Noni or young banana leaves, sold frozen in Asian shops, thaw in minutes.
Preparing the dish
Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces rather than leaving it whole, so the custard sets around it evenly. If you are making kroeung from scratch, pound lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime zest and garlic to a paste, which takes fifteen minutes in a mortar and is worth it. Whisk an egg into the coconut cream for a firmer set.
Step-by-step instructions
- Place the prepared fish in the marinade and mix well to coat.
- Line a bowl or ovenproof dish with the banana leaves.
- Spread the marinated fish evenly over the banana leaves.
- Pour the remaining marinade over the fish.
- Fold the banana leaves over the fish and secure with kitchen string, or cover the ovenproof dish.
- Steam for about 20–25 minutes.
- Once steamed, garnish the Fish Amok with fresh herbs and serve.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
The dish is naturally lactose-free, since coconut does the enriching. For gluten, check the fish sauce and the curry paste, both of which occasionally contain wheat. Everything else is naturally gluten-free.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Tofu, aubergine or mushrooms take the place of fish reasonably well, since the custard is doing most of the work. Use a vegan fish sauce or light soy, and chickpea flour instead of egg to set it. Samlor korkor, the vegetable soup, is the more straightforwardly vegetarian Khmer dish.
More tips and tricks
Do not let the water boil hard under the steamer. Aggressive heat splits the coconut cream and the custard goes grainy. Soften the banana leaves over a flame for a few seconds before folding or they crack. And use noni or young jackfruit leaves in the base if you can find them, which is traditional and adds a slight bitterness.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Chicken amok exists and is common in restaurants. More kaffir lime leaf sharpens it. A spoonful of prahok, fermented fish paste, is the traditional seasoning and gives a much more assertive dish than the tourist version.
Ingredient substitutions
Thai red curry paste stands in for kroeung, though it is hotter and less citric. Any firm white fish works. A ramekin covered with foil replaces the banana leaf cup.
Drink pairing ideas
Angkor or Cambodia lager are the local beers. A dry Riesling handles the coconut and lime well. Fresh sugarcane juice is the street answer.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve it in the banana leaf cup it steamed in, garnished with shredded kaffir lime leaf, red chilli and a spoonful of thick coconut cream. Steamed jasmine rice alongside. It is eaten with a spoon.
A bit of history
Amok is old enough to appear in Angkorian-era references, and steaming in leaves is a technique that predates the metal cookware Cambodia now uses. The dish suffered along with everything else under the Khmer Rouge, when culinary knowledge was actively destroyed, and its current prominence owes something to the post-1990s tourist economy. It anchors Cambodian cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Fish Amok
Fish amok is fish set in a coconut and kroeung custard, steamed in a banana leaf cup. Keep the steam gentle, soften the leaves before folding, and serve it in the cup.
