Kroeung Fish Tacos with Coconut-Lime Crema (Cambodian × Mexican)

Method

1. Very finely chop or pound the pale part of the lemongrass with the garlic, then mix with the turmeric, fish sauce, sugar and part of the oil to make a kroeung marinade. Cut the fish into 3 × 8 cm fingers, coat them evenly and marinate in the fridge for 15 min. Any longer and the fish sauce starts to soften the flesh.

   Add in this stepLemongrass stalks 1Garlic cloves 2Ground turmeric ¾ tspFish sauce 1½ tspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1 tspVegetable oil 0.6 tbspWhite fish fillet 240 g

2. Meanwhile make the crema: stir the coconut milk and the juice of half the lime into the sour cream until smooth. It should run slowly off a spoon.

   Add in this stepSour cream 80 gCoconut milk 2 tbspLime ½

3. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can, cut the cucumber into matchsticks and thinly slice the chilli. Tear in the mint and coriander leaves and toss with the salt and the remaining lime juice to make the slaw. Dress it just before serving so it stays crisp.

   Add in this stepCabbage (some red is nice) 100 gCucumber ½Mint 5 gCoriander (cilantro) 5 gRed chilli 1Salt 1 pinchLime ½

4. Heat the remaining oil in a 26 cm frying pan on medium-high heat, add the fish without the pieces touching and cook for 4 min, turning only once, until golden outside, opaque inside and flaking when pressed. A crowded pan steams instead of sears, so cook in batches if needed.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 0.9 tbsp

   medium-high heat

5. Heat a dry pan on medium heat and warm the tortillas one at a time on both sides, 2 min for the whole stack, until soft with a few toasted spots. Wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep warm.

   Add in this stepSmall corn tortillas 4

   medium heat

6. Spread crema on each tortilla, add slaw, then the fish. Drizzle with more crema and eat straight away with lime wedges.