Skip to content
FriendsPantry

Cambodian

Fish amok

Non-vegetarian

អាម៉ុកត្រី · amok trey

Cambodia's best-known dish: chunks of fish folded into a fragrant lemongrass and turmeric paste with coconut milk and egg, then steamed until just set like a soft mousse.

Fish amok is a Cambodian main course, ready in about 55 minutes and made with lemongrass, white fish fillet and coconut milk. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
A serving of Fish amok
Photo: 52600603 / Pixabay · Pixabay Content License
Prep
30 min
Cook
25 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
433

Ingredients

4 servings

For the kroeung (paste)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pound or blend the lemongrass (opens in a new tab), galangal (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), shallots (opens in a new tab), lime leaves and drained chillies to a smooth, thick paste (kroeung), adding a splash of the coconut milk (opens in a new tab) if the blender needs it.

    Spices being ground in a mortar and pestle
    How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    In a bowl, whisk the paste with the coconut milk (opens in a new tab), egg (opens in a new tab), fish sauce (opens in a new tab), palm sugar (opens in a new tab), shrimp paste (opens in a new tab) and salt until smooth. Fold in the fish.

    • 5 min
    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Fold the banana leaves (opens in a new tab) into four cups, pinning the corners with toothpicks (or use heatproof bowls), line them with the spinach (opens in a new tab) leaves and spoon in the fish mixture.

    • 5 min

    Soften banana leaves over a flame or in hot water before folding them into cups.

  4. Step 4

    Steam over simmering water until the custard is just set and the fish is cooked. Spoon a little coconut cream (opens in a new tab) on each, then steam 1 minute more.

    Food safety: Cook fish until it is opaque and flakes easily (63 °C).

  5. Step 5

    Garnish with shredded lime leaf and chilli and serve with rice.

      Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
      How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Cambodia · Commonly attributedWidely regarded as Cambodia's national dish; steamed curries of this kind are also made in Thailand (hor mok) and Laos (mok).More food from Cambodia
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Curries
    Cooking method
    Steamed
    Taste
    aromatic / warmly spiced, creamy, mild, savoury
    Diet
    Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
    All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Festive & celebration
    Cook more with
    Lemongrass · White fish fillet · Coconut milk · Galangal · Turmeric · Garlic
    Techniques
    Simmering · Steaming

    Allergens

    • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
    • Contains: Fishfrom white fish fillet, fish sauce
    • Contains: Crustaceansfrom fish sauce, shrimp paste

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    433 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 364 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 28%
    • Carbohydrate 16%
    • Fat 57%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy433 kcal119 kcal
    Protein31.2 g8.6 g
    Carbohydrate17.6 g4.8 g
    Net carbohydrate——
    Sugars——
    Added sugars3.2 g0.9 g
    Fibre——
    Fat28.2 g7.8 g
    Saturated fat23.7 g6.5 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol128 mg35 mg
    Sodium1288 mg354 mg
    Salt equivalent3.2 g0.9 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    1154 mg
    Calcium
    110 mg
    Iron
    6.9 mg
    Magnesium
    141 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    232 µg
    Vitamin C
    15 mg
    Vitamin D
    1 µg
    Vitamin B12
    2.9 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    134 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh red chilli, long-grain white rice.
    • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves, banana leaves.
    • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
    • Jaggery / palm sugar: Brown sugar (FDC 168833) used as a stand-in for unrefined cane jaggery and palm sugar.
    • Shrimp paste: Fish sauce (FDC 174531) at 1.5× as a stand-in salted fermented seafood condiment; protein is understated.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Stir the mixture in one direction only before steaming; it helps the custard set smooth.

    Common mistakes

    • Steaming too hard — the coconut custard splits and turns grainy.

    Serve with

    • Serve with plain jasmine rice and a crisp cucumber salad.

    Storage

    • Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

    Reheating

    • Re-steam gently for 5 minutes.

    Variations

    • Chicken amok: Use thin slices of chicken thigh instead of fish.
    • Stovetop amok: Simmer the mixture gently in a pan as a thick curry instead of steaming it, as many Cambodian home cooks do.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 2, 3, 5

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

    You might also like