Amok Trey

One of the most well-known Cambodian dishes, Amok Trey is a fish mousse with fresh coconut milk and kroeung, a type of Khmer curry paste made from lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, shallots, galangal and finger root, or Chinese ginger. The addition of slok ngor, a local herb that imparts a subtly bitter flavor, separates the Cambodian version from the pack.

It is coated in a thick coconut milk with kroeung, either steamed or baked in a cup made from banana leaves. It is often eaten during the Water Festival, which celebrates the reversal of the Tonle Sap River. At upscale restaurants, it is steamed in a banana leaf, while more local places serve a boiled version that is more like a soupy fish curry than a mousse.