When I was younger, and working multiple jobs, I avoided looking at the clock. I fear the slow passing of time that will only seem slower if I watch it progress. Now, I avoid looking at my calendar. I fear the quick passing of time that will only seem faster if I watch it progress. It’s funny how memories and time work. It felt like yesterday that I said goodbye to my parents at the Phnom Penh airport, but I don’t even remember what we talked about, or what they wore, what I wore. But I know, it’s been almost …
How to Make Cambodian Num Ansom Chek
In Cambodia, Khmer New Year is one of our greatest national holiday. It is three to four days of festivities, so therefore, cooking is a large part of our whole morning routine. I remember my mother cutting and prepping everything overnight and waking up earlier than the birds (at 4am) to start making all the dishes she wants to serve at the local wat (temple) to appease the spirits of our ancestors. And the one thing that took a really long time to make was Num Ansom Chet and Num Ansom Chrouk (pork version). Not because it was difficult to …
Cambodian Spicy Papaya Beef Salad Recipe (Lahong Plea Sach Ko)
Plea sach ko (khmer beef tartar) and bok lahong (khmer green papaya salad), were my dad’s favourite dishes. Plea sach ko is a Cambodian dish which consists of lime-cured beef and prahok tossed with fresh herbs, shallots, finely shaved radish and sprinkled with crushed roasted peanuts. It is a very popular main dish which can be served hot or cold. Bok lahong is a dish of Laos origin that is served at many food stalls throughout southeast Asia, and is especially popular in Thailand and Cambodia. This dish combines the five main tastes of southeast Asian cuisine -sourness from lime or tamarind, spiciness …
