Water, rice and
freshwater fish exert the most profound influences on Khmer cuisine. The
Mekong river, the
twelfth longest in the world cuts through the very heart of Cambodia. The capital
Phnom Penh is on its riverbank, at the junction where two other rivers meet: the
Tonle Sap and
Bassac. The Tonle Sap river connects the Mekong with the
Tonle Sap lake, or Great Lake, which acts as a liquid heart and natural reservoir for the entire Mekong river system, regulating the flow of huge volumes of water, and allowing the safe passage of an astonishing number of freshwater fish. The lake itself is believed to have more fish than any other in the world and ranks second only to the
Amazon river in
biodiversity.
When the rainy season begins at the start of the Khmer New Year, the region becomes inundated with monsoonal rain and Cambodia turns into a vast ocean of emerald rice-paddies. The geographical setting of wetlands (Cambodia ranks second to Bangladesh for the largest amount of wetland in Asia) and floodplains explains why water, and hence fish and rice (which grow in water) are such an integral component to the cuisine. Many dishes, in particular the samlors, have a pond-like appearance, and are often loaded with reed-like plants, leaves and vegetables, mirroring the surrounding landscape. Dipping sauces tend to be quite watery, as are most Cambodian curries.
Khmer cuisine shares many commonalities with the food of neighboring
Thailand — although, less chili, sugar and coconut cream are used for flavor — and of neighboring
Vietnam, with which it shares and adopts many common dishes, as well as a colonial history, as both formed part of the
French colonial empire in
Southeast Asia. It has drawn upon influences from the cuisines of
China and
France, powerful players in Cambodian history. The Chinese began arriving in the 13th century, but Chinese migration accelerated during the French period.
Curry dishes, known as
kari show a trace of cultural influence from
India. The many variations of rice
noodles show the influences from
Chinese cuisine.
Preserved lemons are another unusual ingredient not commonly found in the cooking of Cambodia's neighbors; it is used in some Khmer dishes to enhance the sourness. The Portuguese and Spanish also had considerable influence in Cambodian affairs in the 16th century, introducing chili and peanuts into Asia from the New World. However, chili never gained the same status or prominence as it did with the cuisines of neighboring Thailand, Laos and Malaysia. Even today very few recipes include chili.
One legacy of
French, the
baguette - known as
nom pang in Khmer - is ubiquitous in all parts of Cambodia today.
Cambodians often eat bread with
pâté, tinned sardines or eggs. One of these with a cup of strong
coffee, sweetened with condensed milk, is an example of a common Cambodian
breakfast. Freshly buttered baguettes can be made into sandwiches (also called
nom pang) and may be stuffed with slices of ham or any number of grilled meats, with
Kampot pepper, similar to Vietnamese
banh mi. The French also introduced beer, butter, pate, coffee, chocolate, onions, carrots, broccoli, potatoes and many other types of non-native produce to
Southeast Asia.
Traditionally, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four dishes. A meal will usually include a soup, or samlor, served alongside the main courses. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter in taste. Chili (fresh, pickled or dried) and chili sauce is served on the side and left up to individual diners and to their taste. In this way Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavor to satisfy their palates.
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