Thai fish hor mok
* This post is part of the Royal Selangor Jellyriffic Competition where ten bloggers from around the world compete by posting recipes each day for 30 days in the month of October 2011 to raise awareness and support for breast cancer. *
UPDATE:
Follow our progress and download our recipes in the “Cuisines of the World” by clicking the image below:
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In our first blog post of this Jellyriffic competition, we submitted an entry for steamed egg custard. As we worked on this recipe, we found it interesting to compare and contrast the egg custards of different cultures. The taste and flavour of a Japanese chawan mushi is subtle and elegant while a Thai hor mok has a little more spice and flavours due to the use of fragrant ingredients.
This recipe is also very similar to a Malaysian otak-otak which can either be spicy fish paste stuffed into pandanus or screwpine leaves and grilled over a barbeque or fish parcels wrapped with banana leaves and gently steamed. I used to really enjoy the grilled otak-otak but this steamed Thai hor mok takes the prize for its elegance in flavours and textures – soft and creamy with chilli, lemongrass, kaffir lime and coconut flavours.
Day 14: Main – Thai fish hor mok
Thai fish hor mok
We knew this hor mok would taste sensational so we steamed two extra ones for lunch and as it turned out, this is one of the simplest and tastiest Thai recipes.
It is definitely one of our all time favourites, thanks to a particular magical ingredient called Gimson nyona red curry. It is a ready made sauce that is absolutely made to complement steamed seafood such as fish, prawns and squid. Key ingredients in this sauce include chilli, torch ginger, turmeric, galangal, candlenut, lemongrass, tamarind, onion and garlic.
Gimson nyonya red curry sauce
We have been using a range of Gimson sauces in our cooking for years and the good thing about this sauce is that it does not require any other ingredients to cook with your favourite meats or seafood except perhaps a bit of garnishing if you are entertaining or having a dinner party.
This particular sauce is manufactured in Malaysia and can be found in Asian grocers in Sydney although generally, it appears to be stocked by the larger grocers. Ingredients 2 tablespoon ling fish fillets, diced (or any other white fish suitable for steaming) Method 1. Mix the diced fish fillets, a few kaffir lime leaf and chilli slivers, beaten egg, coconut cream, red curry sauce and pour into the Royal Selangor jelly mould. Tip: The garnish for this recipe is important because you should not only aim for a good visual presentation but the garnish should also be complement the hor mok and eaten for its taste and flavours. We have garnished the hor mok with extra dallops of coconut cream, Thai mint and small slivers of red chillies. Variations of the garnish that we would suggest is slivers of very thin kaffir lime, red chilli, lemon rind, lemongrass and Thai basil leaves.
1 egg, beaten
5 – 6 tablespoon coconut cream
1 tablespoon Gimson nyonya red curry sauce
2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into very thin slivers
1 red chilli, cut into very thin slivers
2. Stand the mould in a steamer and gently steam at the lowest heat level possible for approximately 20 – 30 minutes.
3. When the contents of the mould is firm to the touch, gently remove and plate with your favourite garnish. We have made some alternative suggestions for garnish.
The ling fish pieces in this hor mok is tender and each mouthful is soft, creamy with gentle flavours of chilli, lemongrass and kaffir lime.
Velvety soft and creamy flavours of chilli, kaffir lime, lemongrass and coconut
These ingredients, to me, are truly the essence of Thai flavours and aromas.
Thai fish hor mok
So dear readers, what is your favourite Thai food?
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Chopinand & Mysaucepan
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This looks and sounds delicious and I’d like to make it.
The ingredients don’t include lemongrass, but you say it tastes of “chilli, lemongrass and kaffir lime.” I have lemongrass, but will have to go find some kaffir lime leaves.
I love Thai food, but aside from coconut milk, peanut butter, and lemongrass, I don’t have most of the necessary ingredients. Although I do, rather seredipitously have the
Gimson nyonya red curry sauce in my pantry!
Hi heidi
I’m quite suprised that you have the Gimson nyonya red curry sauce because it is not widely available even here in Sydney.
Lemongrass is one of the key ingredients of this sauce if you read the label on the bottle. I have also noted other key ingredients of the sauce for convenience of readers. This sauce is very handy because you really don’t need fresh ingredients if you cook with it. Any fresh ingredients that you add such as kaffir lime leaves is like a “bonus” to the flavours.
So, if you have the Gimson sauce, all you really need is the fresh seafood, coconut milk/cream, egg and you really have this dish at your disposal. You won’t even need salt for this recipe, it’s dead simple and truly delicious. Happy cooking!
Wow, that looks amazing! But what I’m really grateful for is the headsup about the Gimson brand sauces – I’ve been looking for some authentic Malaysian flavours. Could you please tell me – do they do a good chicken curry powder? For the one I grew up on, with potatoes. I’ve come up with a curry powder mix that I’m quite happy with, but I’m searching for a fairly specific taste memory. Thanks..
Hi Celia,
I don’t think Gimson brand does curry powder.
There are a few good ones but my favourite brand is Baba’s curry powder for meats. To me, this curry powder has the “correct” ratio of spices and chilli that gives the meat that curry flavour. Here is a recipe that uses this curry powder and a link on where to buy it.
http://chopinandmysaucepan.com/slow-baked-turmeric-chicken
For curry chicken, my favourite is Tean’s curry paste. This paste is versatile and does not need any other fresh ingredients. For good measure, I throw in a few cloves, star anise, cinnamon and fresh shards of ginger and lemongrass while frying up the paste before adding the chicken. I don’t like adding potato to my chicken curry although I know it is the norm and it will work well too if you did. Here is a link for this curry paste:
http://www.singaporemalaysiastore.com/tean39s-gourmet-malaysian-traditional-chicken-curry-paste–hal39.html
Thanks so much, I’m going out to hunt for both those brands. I’ve been using the Ayam brand curry powder, which is ok, but just not quite right. I was buying a custom made curry powder from a guy at Flemington Markets for a while, but he’s not there anymore!
Thanks again, will let you know how I go.
That looks very creative. Beautifully photographed too. Good luck with the competition.
I had my first Otak Otak experience recently (I know, bad food blogger lol) and loved it so this sounds great!
Hi Nic
Where have you been?? Better down 4 – 5 serves of this to make up
It’s one of the tastiest things on earth!
Do you hear that? It’s my tummy rumbling, saying, “gimme some of that!” :-d
Normally when I refer to steamed eggs it will be chawan mushi..but your steamed egg look so tempting and delicious too.But I wonder ..can I use Tomyam paste instead of red curry?
And yet again another creative idea. You know I just hadn’t considered jelly this versatile before!
This looks delicious! I love it!
That dish looks delicious!! I was dying to see a picture of you scooping out to reveal the inner yumminess and so glad you did! Really creative dish, even without the jelly mould =)
It’s funny because at first this beautiful cone looks as if it was a very thin crêpe with a stuffing! I love chawan mushi and this dish sounds like a mixture of egg custard and Thai curry. I have never heard about it, but absolutely must try it!
I’m going to search Gimson nyona red curry in my Asian store next time. Sounds like a miracle curry paste and I like how it’s easily add flavor to the ingredients! Right, I thought it looks like crepe too!
Looks very intersting, I have grown to love savoury fish and seafood jellies and while they are always a little surprising, they often taste great!
At first I wasn’t sure about this one until I read the ingredient list….YUM! I bet it was amazing!