Trey Trung Kroeung (Lemongrass Enrobed Catfish Fillets)

Kroeung is the aromatic spice paste at the heart of Cambodian cooking, and this dish shows it off at its finest. Blended lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, garlic, and dried chilies form the base, tinted yellow with a pinch of turmeric, which perfumes every bite of tender catfish.

The technique is critical. The paste must fry for a full two minutes in oil before any liquid goes in. This step, called tempering, releases the volatile oils from the aromatics and transforms the paste from raw to deeply fragrant. Skip it and the dish tastes dusty and flat.

Coconut milk goes in next to create the luscious sauce, balanced with salt and a touch of sugar that tempers the chili heat. Catfish gets briefly pan-fried first to firm up the flesh, then finished in the sauce so it soaks in the spices without falling apart.

Serve over jasmine rice to catch every drop of the coconut-yellow sauce, with fresh kaffir lime leaves as garnish for a citrusy aromatic lift.

Chef Tips

• Soak the dried New Mexican chilies until fully soft before blending; hard pieces leave gritty bits in the paste
• Use the tender lower third of the lemongrass stalk only; upper sections are too fibrous to blend smooth
• Fresh galangal beats dried every time; look in Asian markets and freeze chunks for later
• Don’t brown the catfish, just firm it up so it holds shape once back in the sauce
• If the paste thickens too much while simmering, thin with a splash of water rather than more coconut milk

Variations

• Swap catfish for any firm white fish: tilapia, snapper, or bass all work
• Use shrimp or chicken thighs for a non-fish version
• Add bamboo shoots or Thai basil at the end for more texture and aroma