Steamed curry explained

Steamed curry (km|អាម៉ុក,,^[5] in Central Khmer pronounced as /ʔaːmok/ or Central Khmer: ហហ្មុក,^[6] ; lo|ໝົກ, Lao: mok in Lao pronounced as /mók/; th|ห่อหมก,^[4] Thai: ho mok pronounced as /th/,) is a Southeast Asian type of curry steam-cooked in banana leaves and served with cooked rice.^[7] In Laos, it is also roasted on embers.^[8] The base of the curry is made with a curry paste (km|គ្រឿង, in Central Khmer pronounced as /krɨəŋ/; th|พริกแกง, Thai: prik kaeng) with or without the addition of coconut cream or coconut milk and eggs. A wide range of leaves and staple ingredients are also added to the dish, such as:

• fish (km|អាម៉ុកត្រី, in Central Khmer pronounced as /ʔaːmok trəj/; lo|ໝົກປາ, Lao: mok pa in Lao pronounced as /mók pàː/; th|ห่อหมกปลา, Thai: ho mok pla pronounced as /th/; tts|หมกปลา, mok pla in Lao pronounced as /mók pāː/);
• bamboo shoots^[9] (lo|ໝົກໜ່ຳໄມ້, Lao: mok nor mai in Lao pronounced as /mók nɔ̄ː mâj/ (often with minced meat inside); th|ห่อหมกหน่อไม้, Thai: ho mok no mai pronounced as /th/; tts|หมกหน่อไม้, mok no mai in Lao pronounced as /mók nɔ̄ː mâj/);
• chicken (km|អាម៉ុកសាច់មាន់, in Central Khmer pronounced as /ʔaːmok sac mŏən/; th|ห่อหมกไก่, Thai: ho mok kai pronounced as /th/; lo|ໝົກໄກ່, Lao: mok kai in Lao pronounced as /mók kāj/; tts|หมกไก่, mok kai in Lao pronounced as /mók káj/);
• snails^[10] (km|អាម៉ុកខ្យង, in Central Khmer pronounced as /ʔaːmok kʰjɑːŋ/);
• tofu (km|អាម៉ុកតៅហ៊ូ, in Central Khmer pronounced as /ʔaːmok tawhuː/; th|ห่อหมกเต้าหู้, Thai: ho mok tao hu pronounced as /th/; tts|หมกเต้าหู้, mok tao hu in Lao pronounced as /mók tâw.hùː/);
• algae (lo|ໝົກໄຄ, in Lao pronounced as /mók kʰáj/ (with Mekong weed)).

See also

• Otak-otak, similar fish dumpling, a Nyonya Peranakan cuisine common in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
• Pepes, Indonesian dish cooking method by wrapping in banana leafs
• Botok, similar Indonesian Javanese dish wrapped in banana leaf

Notes and References

1. Book: Alford . Jeffrey . Jeffrey Alford . Duguid . Naomi . Naomi Duguid . Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia . . 2000 . 180 . 978-1579-6511-4-5 . Steaming fish or chicken with aromatics in banana leaf packets is a technique found from Yunnan to Cambodia. The technique is mawk in modern Thai, Lao, and Khmer, and the word and technique may originally be Khmer..
2. Web site: Michelin-starred chef David Thompson explains his growing love for Cambodian cuisine . June 13, 2019 . Aqua Expeditions . May 26, 2021 . If the description of fish amok sounds like Thai cuisine (arguably the most popular Southeast Asian cuisine in the world), that’s because many elements of today’s Thai cooking was influenced by Khmer cooking techniques and principles perfected over centuries. (...) A dish that exemplifies Khmer influence, is fish amok, a steamed snakehead fish curry that is redolent of lemongrass, galangal and coconut aromas. . August 3, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210803114225/https://www.aquaexpeditions.com/blog/dining/cambodian-cuisine-asia-underrated/ . live.
3. Book: Mouritsen . Ole G. . Styrbæk . Klavs . Johansen . Mariela . 2021 . Octopuses, Squid & Cuttlefish: Seafood for Today and for the Future . . 193 . 978-3-030-58026-1 . The Cambodian national dish, amok, variations of which are found as mok in Laos and ho mok in Thailand, is an exceptionally delicious dish, which dates back to the royal Cambodian Angkor-Khmer kitchen..
4. News: Lees . Phil . May 25, 2007 . The Dish: Fish Amok . . 7 October 2019 . The origins of fish amok are a source of regional debate. Dishes of this kind aren't unique to Cambodia. Malaysia and Indonesia boast the similar otak otak and Thailand cooks a spicier hor mok but neither nation embraces them with the passion of Cambodia. "Amok" in the Cambodian language, Khmer, only refers to the dish whereas in Thai, "hor mok" translates as "bury wrap," suggesting amok may have come from Cambodia's neighbor. . 2 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211102145158/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB117977402584509841 . live.
5. Web site: Dunston . Lara . Cambodian Fish Amok Recipe – an Authentic Steamed Fish Curry in the Old Style . Grantourismo Travels . 23 May 2017 . 4 October 2019 . 'Amok' means to steam in banana leaves in Khmer . 17 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617161029/https://grantourismotravels.com/cambodian-fish-amok-recipe/ . live .
6. Book: Chuon, Nath . Chuon Nath . វចនានុក្រមខ្មែរ . Khmer Dictionary. . 1967 . ហហ្មុក (ហ៏-ហ្ម៉ុក) ន. (ស. ห่อหมก អ. ថ. ហ-ហ្មុក “ខ្ចប់-កប់” ឈ្មោះម្ហូបមួយប្រភេទ ធ្វើដោយត្រីស្រស់ផ្សំគ្រឿងមានកាពិបុកនិងខ្ទិះដូងជាដើម ខ្ចប់ចំហុយ: ហហ្មុកត្រីរ៉ស់, ហហ្មុកត្រីអណ្ដែងដាក់ស្លឹកញ (គួរកុំច្រឡំហៅ អាម៉ុក ព្រោះជាសម្ដីពុំគួរសោះឡើយ)។ .
7. Book: Mouritsen . Ole G. . Styrbæk . Klavs . Johansen . Mariela . 2021 . Octopuses, Squid & Cuttlefish: Seafood for Today and for the Future . . 254 . 978-3-030-58026-1 . amok - (also mok, ho mok) in southeast Asian cuisine a curry that is steamed in a banana leaf, typically made with fish, galangal, and coconut cream and served with cooked rice..
8. Book: Ken Albala . Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia . . 3 . 2011 . 149 . 978-0-313-37627-6.
9. Web site: Souvanhphukdee . Andy . Bamboo shoots steamed in Banana leaves (Mok Naw Mai) . July 3, 2019 . Pha Khao Lao . May 26, 2021 . October 6, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006044428/https://www.phakhaolao.la/en/stories/bamboo-shoot-stremed-banana-leaves-mok-naw-mai?page=8 . live .
10. Book: 2006 . Curry: Fragrant Dishes from India, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia . . 268 . 978-0-7566-2078-3.