Fish amok
អាម៉ុកត្រី
Steamed coconut-fish custard with lemongrass and kroeung — Cambodia's celebration mousse, not a Thai curry poured in a bowl.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: អាម៉ុកត្រី.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Amok is fish folded through a lemongrass-galangal-turmeric paste (kroeung) and thick coconut milk, then steamed in banana leaf until it sets like a savoury custard. It should wobble, not soup. This home version uses a ramekin or a small bowl in a steamer. The paste will not be a market kroeung. Name the adaptation. Pound or blend a kroeung of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallot and chilli, then loosen it with thick coconut milk. Fold in firm white fish so it is coated, not mashed. Steam in banana-leaf cups or ramekins until the mixture sets like a savoury custard that wobbles. A spoon of coconut cream on top is normal. It should not be a soup. Rice on the side. Name the ramekin if you skipped the leaf.
Ingredients
- Firm white fish, firm, cubed400 g
- Coconut milk300 ml
- Lemongrass, tender core, sliced2 stalk
- Ginger, or galangal20 g
- Garlic3 clove
- Turmeric4.9 ml
- Egg1 large
- Fish sauce15 ml
- Palm sugar4.9 ml
- Spinach, or cabbage, to line the bowls80 g
- Lime½
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Blend lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallot, chilli, turmeric, fish sauce and palm sugar with a splash of coconut milk into a paste.
8 minStep 2
Stir paste into remaining coconut milk and the egg. Fold in the fish. Taste: salty, a little sweet, aromatic.
5 minStep 3
Line ramekins with greens. Spoon in the mixture. Steam 20–25 minutes until just set and jiggly. Lime. Rice.
25 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 October.
Substitutions
Fish → Prawns or tofu
Prawns cook faster. Tofu is a modern table, still kroeung-scented.
Tips
- Banana leaf under the greens if you have it. The steam smells like a market.
- Oversteam and you have a rubber omelette. Pull it when the centre still nods.
History & culture
Khmer celebration and restaurant food. Related to Thai hor mok, not a coconut soup. Rice on the side. Khmer celebration and restaurant food, related to Thai hor mok but not a coconut soup and not a Thai green curry. The leaf is perfume and a mould. Home cooks without market kroeung will make a blender paste; that is an adaptation. Serve it in the cup it steamed in.
A Khmer steamed curry older than the tourist menu. Banana leaf is both package and perfume. A Khmer steamed curry older than the tourist menu card. Banana leaf as package and perfume is the old method. Coconut-rich set custards of fish and spice sit across mainland Southeast Asia with local pastes. You are steaming seasoned fish in coconut milk until it sets. That is amok.
Modern adaptation
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Fish amok take?
55 min all in — 25 min prep, 30 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 ramekins. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Fish, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Pescatarian, Dairy-free, Gluten-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Blender, Saucepan.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Fish sauce — 1 tbsp. Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.
How much fish sauce?
1 tbsp of Fish sauce.
What can I use instead?
Fish → Prawns or tofu. Prawns cook faster. Tofu is a modern table, still kroeung-scented.
Any tips from this recipe?
Banana leaf under the greens if you have it. The steam smells like a market. Oversteam and you have a rubber omelette. Pull it when the centre still nods.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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