Making Fish Amok, Cambodian national dish

On my 188th articles, I would like to share about one special dish which is widely known as Cambodian national dish. It is called Amok. It is one of the best-known Cambodian dishes to visitors, but you'll find similar meals in neighboring countries, like Thailand or Lao. The addition of Sleuk Ngor (Noni leaves), a local plant that imparts a subtly bitter flavor, separates the Cambodian version from the rest of the pack. The curry paste is made with fresh coconut milk and kroeung. Traditionally, the dish was made with either fish or snails, but now you can find chicken and even vegetarian versions. What make Amok different from Curry and special about this dish is because it is cooked by steaming. In upscale restaurants, Amok is steamed with egg in a banana leaf for a mousse-like texture, while more homestyle places serve a boiled version that is more like a soupy fish curry.

My Fish Amok, 5 minutes before ready!

I love this dish so much that whenever I go to the restaurant, I would order it. Especially, if I am going to dine with friends from abroad. Recently, I just made it for the 2nd times with proper ingredients and yes, my siblings really love it, their first time having it. There are several steps to do this dish which includes, how to prepare fish/chicken, how to prepare Kroeung, how to prepare garnish, how to prepare banana wrap, and how to steam it. Video tutorial can be found here: Fish amok making, 

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1.5 hour

Course: Main dish

 

N#	Description	How to do it!
1	Ingredients	Meat: 0.5kgs of snakehead or catfish preferable; or snapper (take out the skin & bone) and thinly sliced (for serving 4 people), apply the same rules if you cook with chicken. Kreoung 3 tbsp yellow kroeung herb/spice paste (Kroeung is made from lemon grass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic) Spices 2 dried red chillies soaked in water until soft, (take out the seed and chop them well) and drained or a tsp of red chilli paste 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp shrimp paste (optional) 2 tsp palm sugar ½ cup first press coconut milk or tinned coconut cream 2 eggs beaten 1 tsp of salt Garnish 4-5 pieces of Kaffir lime leaves (garnish) 1 Capsicum (garnish) / 1-2 red chilli Cooking Banana leaves for wrapping or young coconut shell (for cooking) 4-5 pieces of noni leaves (morinda citriforlia)
2	How to prepare Kreoung	Prepare the yellow kroeung as follow: Clean all ingredients in Kreoung (lemon grass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic) and cut them in small pieces, pound them well into the mixture in a mortar or grinder or a food processor. Grinder would make them mixture very well. After that, add the soaked dried red chilli / red chilli paste and pound together with the previous Kreoung.
3	Garnish	1 tbsp first press coconut milk or tinned coconut cream 1 tsp kaffir lime zest or finely sliced lime leaves 1 medium sized red chilli or red capsicum finely sliced
4	Instructions on how to cook	Prepare the yellow kroeung and keep them aside. Combine the kroeung, fish and spices (finished mixture) together in a big pot or plate by stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula. (Preferable, in order for the taste not going wrong) test your level of seasoning by frying a spoon of the mixture (or zapping it in the microwave). It should be well balanced and taste a little salty, slightly sweet, a tad spicy, and rich and creamy. Adjust as necessary by adding a pinch of salt or sugar, fish sauce, or even a little chilli. Place noni leaves (boil in hot water and soak in cold water, to get rid of bitterness) on the bottom of your ramekins, coconut shell or banana leaf baskets. If using banana leaf baskets ( you need to make them like busket) Place the finished mixture to each ramekin/coconut shell/banana leaf basket and fill almost to the top (in big ones for all as family or in small wrap for each person). Use a spoon or spatula to flatten the mixture out, drizzle a teaspoon of coconut cream and sprinkle some finely sliced kaffir lime leaves on top. Save some for a final garnish. Steam for 20-30 minutes then check. The fish amok should be cooked through and firm to touch but still retain a moistness. It should not be dry. When it’s almost done add the rest of the coconut cream on the top and steam for a few more minutes. Garnish with the remaining kaffir lime leaf slices and finely sliced red chillies or red capsicum. Serve immediately when it is hot at the centre of the table with rice on each guest’s plate

Please note that I cooked for 4-5 people and I did not have banana wrap or young coconut shell, so I used a normal pot steamed on frying pan.

About using Noni Leaves, it is very beneficial for Health. There are so many benefits of noni leaf that we can get, here are some of the benefits of the noni leaf (Ambient cure, Strengthens the body condition is weak, Slimming, Digestion, Cure various diseases). The noni leaves and the mixture of Amok go so well together.

Noni leave boiling in hot water and soaking in cold waterThe process: mixture of fish and Kroeung, then putting noni leaves under thi mixture, then putting more coconut cream on top, with kaffir lime leavs shredded in small pieces and red chilli shred

Finishing products:

Done, ready to dig in!