Steamed Fish Curry with Coconut, Turmeric, Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves

This dish is one of Cambodia's most famous. It is known as Amok Trey or Fish Amok. Rick Stein notes that in Cambodia they would use noni leaves which have a lemon scent but you can substitute with lemon verbena, lemon balm or coriander. I used coriander as it was all I could buy.

You can use any white fish but obviously choose one that holds it shape when cooked in a curry. I had mackerel on hand, so that is what I used.

The first step is to make the curry paste by blending lemongrass, garlic, shallots, turmeric, crushed dried chillies, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and roasted peanuts with some coconut milk. You then cook the curry paste until aromatic and add palm sugar, fish sauce, salt, star anise, kaffir lime leaves and more coconut milk. This mixture is then cooled.

Once cool you add beaten eggs, fish and coriander. The mixture is then put into heatproof bowls (making sure you have one piece of star anise in each) and steamed in a steamer or covered wok until the custard is set and the fish cooked.

This dish was unusual as the texture was quite different to a "normal" curry due to the eggs causing the mixture to partially set. The fish was lovely and the flavours delicious. A nice hint of chilli and wonderful lemony fragrant ingredients. I served it with steamed rice and would definitely make it again.
Rating 8-9 out of 10.