Pairing Amok correctly — a note on sugarcane juice

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Amok. I ordered it with sugarcane juice and the fresh with lemongrass elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. prahok fermented fish paste in particular became more prominent in a good way.

prahok is a uniquely Cambodian ingredient that foreigners find challenging but locals consider essential. The a Phnom Penh riverside restaurant is where you learn these pairings — they evolved together. If you've been having Amok with the wrong drink, try it correctly once. It's a genuinely different experience. The restaurant deserves credit for getting this right.