This Week I am Cooking “Cambodian Monkfish Amok Curry”

As many of those close to me, I have travelled to Cambodia many times, outreaching in some of the most rural and poorest villages. On every trip I aim to try something different, learn a new dish to recreate on my return. So when standing on my kitchen on a cold winter’s day, I can somewhat attempt to recreate the tastes, close my eyes and hear the sounds of Cambodia.  

Cambodia has many wonderful fish dishes, and this is one of my favourites. Amok is a fragrant blend of spices in a coconut broth, and ideally steamed in banana leaves, if you can get your hands on some here in Ireland, please let me know. For this dish I tend to use monkfish and prawns, but you can use any firm fleshed fish.  Amok is a fragrant, warming and delicious curry-tinged meal, lovely over rice and mild enough curry for the whole family to enjoy. 

What you Need: 

• 1 brown onion 
• 1 clove garlic 
• 3cm piece fresh ginger 
• 1 tbsp yellow curry paste 
• 1 tbsp coconut oil 
• 1 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tbsp palm sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 600g firm monkfish, cut into roughly 5cm slices 
• 500g peeled tiger prawns 
• 100g sugar snap peas 
• 400ml coconut milk 
• 1 kaffir lime leaf, finely sliced  
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced 
• 1 tbsp crushed unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped 

Lets Get Cooking: 

1. in a small blender, combine onion, garlic, ginger, curry paste, coconut oil, fish sauce, palm sugar and salt and blitz. 

2. Over medium heat, cook paste for 5 minutes, stirring. Add coconut milk and combine well. 

3. Place the sliced monkfish & prawns in pot, pour over sauce, and place lid on steamer. 

4. Poach in the sauce for 6-8 minutes until fish is cooked. 

5. Sprinkle over the sliced chili, chopped peanuts & coriander and served with some steamed basmati rice. 

6. Enjoy  

But if it is too much hassle for you to cook it, you can always order it from our Saturday Night menu.

As always, let me know how you get on