So another set of raw spice bar recipes we had yet to complete were the cambodian spice box. When we got this I was most excited for these mini kaffir lime tarts that in this packet. I love baking and these look wonderful and refreshing for summer time.
This month’s recipes: Cambodian Fish Amok, Sambal Oelek Paste, and Mini Kaffir Lime Tarts
This moth’s spices: Kroeung Spices (lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime powder, black peppercorns, shallots, garlic, fennel, and turmeric), Sambal Oelek (ground chiles, cayenne pepper, palm sugar, paprika), Kaffir Lime Powder
Ingredients: Crust:1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted), 1/3 cup sugar Filling: Kaffir lime powder, 4 oz cream cheese, 4 egg yolks, 14oz sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup lime juice
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with liners.
2. Crust: combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of mix to each liner and press crumbs into the bottom of the liner. Bake the crust for 5 mins and then remove from oven.
3. Filling: in a large bowl combine cream cheese and kaffir lime powder until smooth. Beat in egg yolks, then condensed milk and lime juice until smooth.
4. pour filling evenly into each crust and bake for 15 mins
5. Allow pies to come to room temp and then place in the refrigerator for 2-24 hrs.
Start Cooking Rice if using rice cooker
Ingredients: sambal oelek spices, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp salt, 3 garlic cloves
Directions: combine all in a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste (can be stored up to 2 weeks in the fridge if not using all of it in the amok)
Ingredients: Kroeung Spices, Sambal oelek paste, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 shallot, 1in ginger, 1 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp, vegetable oil, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 TBSP white sugar, 1 lb firm, and mild white fish (we only had talapia - which I would not use for this- it fell apart) (halibut, mahi mahi, cod), 1 1/2 fresh spinach leaves, 1 egg,
1. Curry paste: mix in a food processor Kroeung spices, garlic, shallot, ginger, brown sugar, and salt, until it becomes a paste
2. Slice the fish into 1/2 in thick pieces and set aside
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a sauce pan over med-high heat. Add curry paste and stir until fragrant (1-2 mins)
4. Add sambal oelek paste (it’s really hot so use accordingly to your preference), coconut milk, white sugar, salt. Whisk to combine
5. Turn heat to med-low and simmer for 2 mins, whisking occasionally. Gently add the fish into the sauce. Add spinach leaves and cover the pan
6. Let the Amok simmer for 3-4 mins until the fish is cooked through and spinach is wilted. uncover and keep on low heat.
7. In a small bowl, whisk egg with 2 tbsp of curry sauce from the pan (to prevent curdling of the egg). Pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan
8. Dish Amok over a bowl of rice and enjoy
So I think that using all of the Oelek paste in the curry amok was a mistake. I love spicy foods, but this left a significant heat left in your mouth. My boyfriend on the other hand had no problem with the amount of spice. The curry did have the wonderful sweetness to the flavor that was delicious, but the after heat from the paste was too much for me. Also, Definitely use a harder fish, talapia (because that was all we had in our freezer) did not hold up well.
The tarts are amazing!! the only disadvantage is that they are a heavy dessert and not as light an fluffy as a cheesecake (think more dense), so I could not eat all of them in one sitting (which I guess is a good thing)
I would 100% make these recipes again, I would just take into account the little suggestions for next time.
