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Friday, October 19, 2007

OUR CULINARY GEMS: Amok Trei






Amok Trei is a Cambodian signature dish based on healthy herbs, spices and coconut milk. Its style of cooking is unique from other Southeast Asian dishes for it is steamed instead of boiled.

The dish is solid but moist and is often referred to as a curry although there is no curry in it at all. Amok Trei is simply known as “Amok” made with fish. Another type is called Amok Chouk which are made with snails.

Arunny from Cambodia shares her recipe of this delectable and pleasingly excotic signature dish. She made some revisions to cater to foreign city people who would like to try this wonderful dish.


Here’s the recipe…


Preparation 15 mins
Cooking Time 1 hr
Serves 4

Ingredients

½ kl white fish fillets, cut in serving size strips
1 x 400g/14oz can Coconut Milk
1 egg

1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Red Onion, chopped
2 inches fresh Root Galangal, chopped or 1/2 teasp Ground Galangal
2 tbsp chopped Lemon Grass or 2 teasp Ground Lemon Grass
½ teasp Tumeric Powder

1 teasp Paprika
2 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar
½ teasp salt

4-8 Banana leaves for steaming cups (optional)

Directions

1. Blend or osterize the garlic, onion, galangal, lemon grass, tumeric, paprika, egg, fish sauce and sugar. Make sure it’s well blended.

2. Add the coconut milk and process again until thoroughly mixed.

3. In a saucepan, bring the mixture to a simmering point, constantly stirring. Gently cook it until it’s thickened.

4. While waiting for it, you have the option to make small packets of banana leaves for presentation. Blanch the leaves in hot water so it won’t break when trying to make the packets.

5. Place the fish fillets in a bowl, season with a little salt then pour over half the coconut sauce and mix well. Set the remaining sauce aside.

6. Place the fish mixture in the centre of each banana leaves packets or other small cups as you prefer.

7. Steam the parcels for 1 hour.

8. 5 minutes before the end of the steaming time, gently reheat the remaining sauce and pour it on top of the parcels. Add garnish for presentation.

Best served with steamed rice.


You have a Southeast Asian recipe to share?
Send it in to: bisean [at] gmail [dot] com


*Photos by Frank

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9 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing. Looks like its difficult to cook. But I will try it tomorrow evening.

Anonymous said...

wow. i tried this one when i was in cambodia. its really nice. i'll try to cook it myself. thanks for sharing.

diwata said...

looks really delish

Anonymous said...

oh man! your english suddenly imporvd hahaha! pisanu wont let it pass i told you. just come up with the idea and let him do the writing. wink

the boomerang kid said...

it looks like a complicated dish to cook but i've watched my housekeeper do it and it's really not, as long as you have the proper ingredients. chicken can be cooked this way also. but my favorite is the mixed seafood amok: it has fish, squid, shrimps, and clams. the best amok i've eaten is from cafe amok--located near wat lanka.

TAO said...

I think the truly most impressive item from your visit in Cambodia was the link to Aruuny's blog. She is truly an asset to her country! What she is attempting to do with her talents and her blog are to be commended!

Unknown said...

Oh my, looks delicious!!

Anonymous said...

We have the same thing in Penang, I think around Malaysia too. It is called Otak-otak. I means brains in Malay but it looks nothing like it but tastes and looks the same like Amok trei I think

Rooster_KooL said...

Thx for adv my culture :D. Ur Blogs is the best ever :D

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