This delicate dessert is served on very special occasions and celebrations but often makes a perfect sweet treat for a heart warming result any other time.
Preparation: 20 mins
Cooking: 1h
Complexity: easy
Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pumpkin (medium size)
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup palm sugar
- 1 tsp salt
METHOD
- Using a sharp knife, carve the top off pumpkin to remove seeds and fibres in the center. Keep the top for the cover later. Rinse off pumkin and leave to dry.
- In a sauce pan on low heat, gently whisk egg, sugar, salt and coconut until well combined. Avoid creating air bubbles.
- Pour mixture into pumpkin and cover with the carved top.
- Place pumpkin in a steamer in a large pot and seal to simmer 1 hour on low to medium temperature or until pumpkin flesh feels soft enough to spoon out of the pumpkin (use a knife to check that it comes out clean). Alternatively, bake in the oven for 40 mins at 180 degrees celcius.
- Leave to cool completely for at least 45 mins as this will also allow custard to set in the pumpkin.
TIPS
- Serve and slice like a cake.
- Best prepared the day before and can store in the fridge for up to 2 days
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A very well respected Cambodian appetizer and traditional dish due to the art of de-boning the chicken. Its authentic marinade and preparation are uniquely Khmer. A bite that will make you drool for the next!
Preparation: 25 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Complexity: difficult
Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS
- 10 chicken drumsticks or wings
- 250 g pork or chicken mince
- 1½ cup bean thread noodle soaked in warm water and chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen lemongrass minced
- 4 slices fresh galangal root chopped finely
- 6 garlic colves chopped finely
- 3 chili peppers chopped
- 1 small brown onion diced
- 1 tsp Kampot black pepper
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
METHOD
- Using a small and very sharp paring knife cut around the chicken bone. Ease the flesh away from the bone and push the skin and flesh down to expose the bone. Carefully twist each bone out to break it. Continue for the remaining chicken drumsticks/wings.
- In a mortar and pestle, pound to a paste: garlic, lemongrass, galangal and chili.
- Preheat bbq or grill.
- Add to a large mixing bowl, the freshly made paste, minced meat, bean thread noodle, onion, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, pepper and mix well.
- Fill each boneless chicken with the mix.
- Bbq or grill on medium heat until meat is cooked through.
TIPS
- Serve hot with Cambodian pickle.
- Can freeze stuffed chicken for up to 1 week.
- Can be baked in oven instead.
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A taste of favorite local Cambodian food during chef Luke Nguyen’s culinary trail across Siem Riep.
This food documentary features a traditional dessert my family loves making at home because of the unique texture and natural sweetness of the sugar palm fruit. It doesn’t compare to any other fruit. -Cat
Preparation: 5 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup glutinous rice soaked (1hr) and strained
- ½ cup white tapioca pearl/sago soaked (10 mins) and strained
- 1 tin palm fruit (200 g), drained and sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 cup coconut milk/cream
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup palm sugar
- 2 cup water
METHOD
- Add water to a medium size pot and bring to boil.
- Add rice and cook for 15 mins over medium heat.
- Add palm fruit, sugar, salt and half of the coconut. Stir gently over low heat and let it simmer until the rice softens.
- Add sago and stir gently until the sago becomes translucent.
- Turn off heat and let it rest for 15 mins.
- Using a ladle, pour into individual bowls. Finish with 1 tbsp of remaining coconut cream on the top in each bowls.
TIPS
- Serve warm.
- If left over, keep refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat in pot.
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Preparation: 15 mins
Cooking: 30 mins
Complexity: medium
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 chicken marylands cut into chunky pieces with bones
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp red kreoung paste
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut milk/cream
- 3 cups water
- 2 brown onions cut into quarters
- 4 snake beans cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 small aubergine cut lengthwise into 2 inch pieces
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 white potato
METHOD
- In a large heated pot, add oil and kroeung paste. Stir for 1 min on medium temperature.
- Add chicken and half the coconut. Cook for 2 mins.
- Add potatoes, beans, aubergine and onion. Stir well.
- Add water, remaining coconut and season with fish sauce, shrimp paste, salt and sugar. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 20 mins on low temperature.
TIPS
- Serve hot with rice vermicelli noodles or sliced french style baguette.
Preparation: 5 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut (optional)
- 5 lady finger bananas cut 1 cm thick and lengthwise
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp black or white sesame seeds
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp raw sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 drop dark soy (this will help color the batter)
- 6 cups vegetable oil
METHOD
- Preheat oil in a frying pot/wok.
- In a bowl, mix flour, butter, sugar, salt, coconut, sesame seeds and water.
- Coat banana slices in the flour mix and deep fry. Rotate until crispy and golden brown.
- Drain onto paper towel. Ready to eat!
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Preparation: 5 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 cup coconut milk/cream
- 1 cup steamed rice
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup spring onions or chives sliced thinly
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
Dipping sauce
- 2 cups sweet and sour fish sauce
- ½ cup coconut cream
METHOD
- In a blender, add flour, rice, coconut, water, sugar and salt. Blend to a smooth texture.
- Add chives and mix well with a spatula. Transfer into a pouring jug or alike
- Brush oil onto the cupping pan.
- Poor the mixture into the cupping pan. Cook until slight crusty golden brown.
- Cover each half with another to crate a sphere. Transfer onto a serving plate.
- Continue cooking until all mixture is finished or as required.
- For each individual, mix ½ cup sweet and sour fish sauce with 1 tbsp coconut cream.
TIPS
- Serve hot with dipping sauce.
- Left over mixture can keep refregirated for 1 day in fridge.
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The Cambodian name “Bok lahong” means “pounding papaya”. This savoury salad uses unripe papaya which is green on the outside and has a slightly tangy flavor. The texture is crisp and firm hence why it is being beaten in the mortar for the preparation of Bok lahong.
Many versions of this salad exists in Cambodia although all versions will always use unripe papaya. Green papaya is also used in other Cambodian dishes such as soups. The salad is prepared by shredding the papaya into fine strips. Other ingredients include salted crab, tomatoes, snake beans and peanuts. Another known version of this recipe is one which has smoked fish in it. Fresh herbs can be added to the salad. Bok lahong is traditionally served with steamed rice and grilled chicken.
In Cambodia, Bok lahong only costs few cents and when you buy it, it is often made to order at many street side stalls. This way you can tell them how hot you want your Bok lahong! So deliciously different and crunchy.
Preparation: 20 mins
Cooking: –
Complexity: medium
Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS
- 1 unripe green papaya deseeded, peeled, shredded finely and soaked in water for 1 hr
- 1 cup snake beans cut 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp peanuts roasted and coarsely crushed
- 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
- 2 salted crab
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 bird’s eye chili
- 2 tbsp palm sugar crushed
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lime juiced
METHOD
- Add garlic, chili, shrimp and crab in a mortar and pound with pestle until crushed.
- Add papaya. Pound for 1 min.
- Add tomatoes and beans. Pound for 1 min.
- Transfer ingredients in mortar to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.
- Gently combine. Taste and adjust flavor combination to achieve a sweet, salty, sour balance.
TIPS
- Serve cold on its own or with grilled meat and steamed rice.
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This Cambodian-made dish is inspired by the Chinese version of ‘Shumai’ which is a delicious pork dumpling steamed or grilled and accompanied with a french-style baguette. This is a perfect demonstration of the influences that came from the Orient and West into Cambodia to create delicious food.
Preparation: 15 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg pork mince
- 10 water chestnut from the can, drained and diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large brown onion diced finely
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp raw sugar sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black kampot pepper
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp corn flour
Garnish (if steaming)
- 2 spring onions sliced finely
METHOD
For steaming
- Preheat a large bamboo steamer or similar.
- In a large bowl, mix well all ingredients.
- Form small meat balls about the size of golf balls.
- Place meatballs in a heatproof bowl without overcrowding.
- Cook in steamer for 10-15 mins or until meat is cooked.
- Dish into individual portions with natural broth from the steaming process.
- Sprinkle spring onion and fresh cracked pepper to your taste.
For grilling
- Preheat a deep frying pan with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, mix well all ingredients.
- Form small meat balls about the size of golf balls.
- Deep fry meatballs and set aside to cool.
- Preheat grill pan or charcoal grill.
- Thread 3-4 meatballs on bamboo skewers.
- Cook meatball skewers until brown or as desired.
TIPS
- Serve hot with slices of fresh baguette.
- Alternatively serve grilled meatballs with rice vermicelli noodles, fresh mints, julienned cucumber, sweet and sour dipping sauce and crushed roasted peanuts.
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Preparation: 15 mins
Cooking: 40 mins
Complexity: medium
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- ½ kg beef chuck or brisket cut into 2cm pieces
- 4 tbsp red kroeung paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste (or fish paste)
- ½ can coconut milk
- ½ cup raw peanuts dry roasted without skin
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulp or paste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup water
Dry spices
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 6 cardamons pods
METHOD
- In a hot pan, add all dry spices and dry roast for 3 mins and transfer to mortar and pestle. Pound to a fine powder.
- Over a low heat fry the beef in a pot with half the oil for 5 minutes until it turns semi-dry and is cooked through. Remove from the pan and leave to one side.
- In a large pot over medium heat and add oil and fry the kroeung paste with shrimp paste. As the paste starts drying up add the beef and stir for 2 mins to coat with the paste.
- Add half the coconut milk, dry spice powder, tamarind and peanuts. Scrape any stickiness at the bottom of the pan while stirring well. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes with lid on.
- Add fish sauce, salt and sugar to the pot with the remaining coconut milk and cook for a further 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir regularly to help thickening and intensify flavour. If too thick add water.
TIPS
- Serve hot with rice or sliced baguette on the side to soak up the curry sauce.
7
Preparation: 40 mins
Cooking: 5 mins
Complexity: medium
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg tender beef cut with some fat sliced thinly
- 1 pack of bamboo skewers
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 3 tbsp of palm sugar
- 2 tbsp of oyster sauce
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
Paste
- 1 lemongrass stalk sliced thinly
- ¼ of galangal peeled and sliced thinly
- ½ kaffir lime zest
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 shallot sliced thinly
- ¼ tumeric sliced thinly
METHOD
- In a mortar and pestle, add the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime zest and pound for 2 mins. Then add the tumeric, garlic and shallot. Continue pounding into a fine and smooth paste.
- In a bowl, mix all ingredients with the paste ensuring all ingredients are well combined and evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and leave to marinate for 30 mins.
- Pre-heat the barbecue or charcoal.
- Thread the marinated beef onto the bamboo skewers.
- Cook for approximately 5 mins turning regularly on each side ensuring it is cooked but not overcooked or well done.
TIPS
- Serve hot with pickle vegetables and/or crusty bread.
- Use a food processor to blend and grind the paste ingredients as an alternative.
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Cambodia is seen as an emerging and significant coffee growing region in southeast Asia.
Mondolkiri province in Cambodia cultivate the brand Mondulkiri coffee and continues a tradition of coffee growing in the region that started with the French colonialists in the 1700s.
French roast coffee is considered to be a double roast coffee, which is a category of dark roasted coffee characterized by an intense and smoky-sweet flavor. As coffee roasts get “darker”, the color of the coffee beans darkens and more coffee oils appear on the surface. As a darker roast, French roast coffee beans are very dark brown and shimmering with oil.
A traditional way to prepare Cambodian coffee (as well as other Southeast Asian coffees) is to roast the coffee until it is nearly black by using vegetable fat. Once the coffee beans have been roasted they are ground up to create a very fine powder that is used to brew a very rich and dark cup of coffee. Typically the coffee is brewed using either a cloth sieve or a coffee filter.
Another Cambodian coffee brand is Angkor coffee founded in 1997 purchasing coffee beans from small, family-owned coffee farms in Stung Treng, Ratanakiri or Mondolkiri but may also come from the Memot Kompong Cham province.
Ai Bounnareth aka Mr. B is known to be a charismatic Cambodian who has been serving his signature coffee at the Russian Market for 33 years. The coffee itself is thick, strong and not too sweet, served with an extra shot right as the ice starts to overtake the coffee. If you visit his market stall is “Best Iced Coffee” Shop 547 at the Russian Market in Phnom Penh.
For your caffeine thirst cruncher here is a recipe you can use to make 1 refreshing Cambodian ice coffee at home. Chin Chin!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 shot of dark roast coffee
- 2 tbsp condensed milk
- 1 cup ice
METHOD
- Add 1 spoon of milk to the bottom of a tall glass.
- Add ice.
- Pour coffee shot.
- Add remaining milk on the top and mix slowly to dissolve.
0
Preparation: 30 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Complexity: medium
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
- 1 whole small chicken
- 200 g pork belly
- 1 cup jasmine or long grain rice
- 1 brown onion diced finely
- 2 tbsp or ginger julienne
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Kampot or black pepper
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 lt water
Garnishes and condiments
- 200g bean sprouts
- 4 garlic cloves minced and fried
- 4 spring onions chopped finely
- 1 bunch sawtooth coriander sliced thinly
- 2 bird’s eye chili sliced finely
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- Salted soy bean
- Black pepper
- Sugar
METHOD
- Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Add salt, pork and chicken. Cook until meat is tender and cooked.
- Remove meat to cool. Shred chicken and discard bones. Slice pork in small strips. Set aside.
- Heat up a small pan and add rice. Stir rice until light brown.
- Add garlic, ginger and onion. Stirs well for 2 mins until soft.
- Pour rice into the broth and add the meat. Cook on medium heat for 5 mins or until rice is cooked and well expanded.
- Season with fish sauce, salt, sugar and black pepper. Stir to combine for 1 min and remove from stove. Remember it’s a soup! Add water if required, boil and taste.
- Using a laddle pour hot soup into individual bowls.
- Garnish with condiments to your taste.
TIPS
- A popular meal option for breakfast or lunch in Cambodia. Refreshing and comforting. Substitute meat with fish.
- For the adventurous eaters try it with coagulated pork blood (cooked and cut into cubes). Coagulated pig blood has shown to eliminate toxins, clean intestines, nourish blood and beautify skin!
3
Preparation: 30 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
- ½ kg porterhouse beef cut into cubes
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp raw sugar
- 1 tsp black kampot pepper
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 eggs (optional)
Garnishes
- 1 small curly lettuce
- 1 tomato cut half and sliced thinly
- 1 small brown/red onion sliced thinly
METHOD
- In a mixing bowl combine beef with garlic, oyster sauce, dark soy, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Marinate for 30 mins.
- Set up a serving plate with the garnish by layering with lettuce first then tomato and onion to cover the plate.
- Heat up oil in wok or fry pan and add marinated beef. Cook on high temperature until meat is medium rare (or to preference).
- Remove and transfer beef onto the garnished plate.
- Heat remaining oil in fry pan and crack eggs. Cook until golden brown but yolks are not completely cooked.
- Place eggs on the top of beef.
TIPS
- Serve hot with steamed rice and pepper lime dipping sauce.
4
Cambodians have shown their flair with their own version of the medieval time classic waffle. Unlike the traditional staple breakfast with syrup or butter to make it tasty, the Cambodian version doesn’t need condiments. The key difference lies by adding an exotic ingredient and grilling it up.
Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups rice flour
- 1 cup palm or raw sugar
- 2 pinches salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup coconut cream or milk
- ½ cup of fresh or frozen grated coconut
- 4 tbsp of coconut oil
METHOD
- Preheat waffle pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs, coconut cream, grated coconut. Whisk to form a batter.
- Generously brush waffle pan with coconut oil.
- Using a laddle pour batter into waffle pan. Rotate and cook until golden brown and crisp.
TIPS
Make more to keep in freezer and try heating up on a grill (with or without the charcoal). Bit like the street food market.
3
Roam around Cambodia for the best local food and you’ll discover that Kep city has the most succulent and freshest seafood. Cambodians love their seafood grilled or boiled and compliment its natural flavour with an incredible range of regional-based dipping sauces, never leaving out the balance of sweet, salty, sour, spicy combination.
Try this at home and you will be licking your fingers and kissing whoever you share this with. No cutleries needed!
Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Complexity: easy
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
The essential
- 2 kg of fresh jumbo tiger prawns
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Sweet ginger or Lemongrass and garlic sauces
- ½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
- 2 tbsp ginger root grated finely or lemongrass sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves minced finely
- 1 tbsp palm or raw sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 small bird’s eye chili or to your taste
Classic sauce alternative:
METHOD
Dipping sauce
- Add all dry ingredients in a mortar and pestle and pound to a paste.
- Add to a mixing bowl the paste, juice and fish sauce. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Prawns
- Pre-heat your bbq grill and ensure gas grill is hot or wait until your charcoal is covered with a white-hot ash before cooking.
- Lightly brush prawns with oil and grill directly over medium-hot fire. The oil helps seal in juices and keeps the prawns from sticking to the grill.
- Cook for 5 to 10 mins. Avoid overcooking by flipping the prawns when flesh on the bottom is mostly opaque and the shell is pink. When grilled properly, the shell will come off neatly and cleanly.
TIPS
- Serve with choice of or all sauce(s)
- Don’t forget prawns have not been deveined so it is up to you if you want to remove it
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