Amok trei

Yellow fish curry

By: Charmaine Solomon
From: The Complete Asian Cookbook
Serves: 4
Photographer: Alan Benson

This speciality is traditionally made with fish, although you can use chicken. Steamed in a coconut shell or banana leaf basket, this is one of Cambodia’s signature dishes. Serve with rice.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
500g	skinless boneless firm white fish fillets
2 stem	lemongrass, finely chopped, white part only
2 teaspoons	fresh galangal, finely chopped
2	garlic cloves, finely chopped
3	red asian shallots, finely chopped
2	kaffir lime leaves, sliced, plus extra to garnish
1 tablespoon	chilli paste, (optional)
1 teaspoon	ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon	fermented fish paste or dried shrimp paste
1 tablespoon	fish sauce
1 tablespoon	palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon	salt
200ml	thick coconut milk
1	egg
150g	baby spinach leaves, sliced
	banana leaves, for cooking
	chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish

Method

Wipe the fish with damp paper towel. Cut the fish into small bite-sized pieces.
Put the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots and one of the lime leaves into a food processor with the chilli paste (if using) turmeric, fish paste, fish sauce, palm sugar and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut milk to help keep the mixture moving over the blades. Place the curry paste in a bowl and stir in the egg, most of the coconut milk and the spinach, then stir through the fish.
Steam in banana leaf bowls, coconut shells or small dishes lined with banana leaf. Garnish with the remaining coconut milk, finely shredded lime leaf and extra chilli.