Take a bite into the delicious Khmer cuisine and learn a little about how they add their own unique ‘flavor’ to life.
The cuisine of Cambodia has a certain element that it makes abundant use of known as Prahok. This is a kind of salted fermented fish paste which is the unique element that sets Cambodian cuisine apart. It produces a highly distinctive flavor to whatever it is added to. An all time favorite item the Prahok is widely used in Cambodia. Second only to the Prahok is Kapi which is a fermented shrimp paste.
Rice is also amongst the most popularly eaten food items in Cambodia. Traditionally the Cambodians produce two different kinds of rice dishes. One is the classic aromatic rice which is consumed with seafood items. Then there is the glutinous sticky rice which is more of a dessert item. Every Cambodian chef must know how to work wonders with rice if he is to be truly considered as a Cambodian chef. This is because rice is part of every meal in Cambodia.
Fish sauce is another must have item in every Cambodian meal. It is used in soups as well as a dipping sauce. A traditional Cambodian meal consists of up to four separate dishes. Each dish has its own unique taste ranging from sweet to salty and sour to bitter. The dishes are served with the option to add the chilies according to your taste.
The particular ingredient that is responsible for lending the Cambodian cuisine its uniqueness is kroeung. This is the flavoring agent that makes Cambodian food different from Thai and Vietnamese food. With regards to the vegetables most commonly used in Cambodian food we find them to be the same as those used in the Chinese cuisine. These include mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn, fresh ginger and the like.
Fruits form an essential part of the Cambodian diet. They have their own selection of special fruits that they are very fond of. The durian is by far the most popular fruit of the nation. The sapodilla, coconut and mangoes are other popular fruits commonly consumed by the Cambodians.
When it comes to meat fish stands unparalleled in terms of its popularity. One of the most popular fish dishes is trei which consists of rice porridge and a dried salty fish. The amok fish made from codfish is another popular recipe that is one of the identity forming recipes of the nation.
Beef and chicken are also largely consumed in Cambodia but mostly in the form of stews. Clams, crayfish, cockles, squids and shrimps are also amongst the popularly eaten meats in the country. The Cambodians love to eat lobsters but not everybody can afford them.
There is also a selection of unorthodox meats that some Cambodian chefs prepare. For most non-Cambodians such dishes would seem rather repulsive. Amongst the most popularly eaten weird meats are turtles and frogs and in some cases the tarantula as well!
