This is a fragrant, citrussy and light curry cooked in coconut milk, full of contrasting flavours. Traditionally amok is steamed, but we have adapted it for pan cooking, and it does it no harm at all! Unusually for a curry, the amok blend contains no chilli – in Cambodia, freshly sliced chilli would be added after cooking for heat if desired. You can use any firm white fish for this recipe, but it is particularly good with Nile perch, if you can get it, or swordfish steaks. And if you feel like splashing out, it is also very good made with fat, butterflied king prawns.

01.

Ingredients

2 firm white fish steaks, seasoned with 1/2tsp Amok blend
4 banana shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ inch piece of ginger, minced
11/2tsp Amok blend
1tsp Trassi (shrimp paste)
1tbs dried Kaffir lime leaves
500ml of thin coconut milk, made up from Coconut milk powder

02.

Method

  • In a largish pan, heat 2tbs coconut oil and when hot quickly sear the seasoned fish steaks for a minute or so on each side, before removing from the pan (place the steaks on a plate to reserve the juices) to be returned later.
  • In the same oil, fry the shallots, garlic and ginger until starting to colour and splutter a bit.
  • Now add the trassi and the amok blend, quickly combining everything into a paste before adding the coconut milk. Bring to a rolling boil, constantly stirring to dissolve the paste, before lowering the heat to a simmer.
  • Let the sauce bubble away and reduce for 15 minutes or so, and now pop the fish back into the pan, together with any juices.
  • Add the dried Kaffir lime leaves at this point, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, by which time the fish should be cooked perfectly.
  • Finally, if you need your heat, slice some red chillis up, scatter them into the curry and give it a stir. Steamed jasmine rice is the perfect accompaniment.