Cambodian cuisine comeback

Phnom Penh is experiencing a rebirth. In the late noughties Cambodia had one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and thanks to nurturing from international agencies, the arts are also thriving.

Cambodia’s culinary traditions have been a lot slower off the mark. Despite a blossoming restaurant scene, most serve French or Pacific Rim or interpretations of neighbouring Thai and Vietnamese, with only a handful of quintessential Cambodian dishes making it to menus. But now, thanks to the diligence of a handful of pioneering chefs and the spending power of tourism, Cambodian food is starting to make something of a comeback.

“Khmer food is definitely experiencing a renaissance” says Rinna Kan, the restaurant manager from Meric at the Hotel de la Paix in Siem Reap. “People were shocked to see ingredients like prahok (a fermented and exceptionally pungent fish paste that has been left to ferment in the sun for up to six months), maam (a milder version of prahok) and fish from the lake”, says Joannes Riviere, a French born chef who laboriously researched many of the dishes for Meric. “They were traditional recipes refined—meaning no bones, no guts and no muddy taste, with some work on the presentation. We compiled it into a degustation menu in order to showcase Cambodian food without leaving any escape to our guests”.

Dishes include a gorgeously tart green mango salad with local snake and frangipani and baby corn served with prahok. Another must-try dish is stir-fried prawns with a green peppercorn sauce, a dish originating from Kep on Cambodia’s southern coastline where it is eaten with local crab.

From the July issue of epicure.