Galangal (Romdeng)
Kaffir Lime (Krauch soeuch)
Rice Paddy Herb (Ma-om)
Lemongrass (Kuel Skey)
Tamarind (Ampil khui)
Turmeric (Lamiet)
Water Spinach (Traw Kuon)
Sleuk m'rum
Ginger (Chnay)
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
NATIONAL FLAG
The flag of Cambodia symbolizes the country’s religious dignity and royalty. Two large blue stripes representing royalty, embrace an even larger red stripe which represents the nation. The image of the white temple represents the nation’s religion. Generally speaking, the colors and image on the Cambodian flag personify the country’s slogan: Nation, Religion, King. (ref: Ministry of Tourism)
NATIONAL FLOWER
Romduol, a small yellowish-white flower, is the national flower of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Since ancient times, Cambodian women have often been compared to the Romduol flower because of its attractive fragrance; a unique scent that is prominent in the late afternoon and can travel over long distances with the wind. With its sturdy stems that measure up to 30cm, the Romduol plant can grow to a height of 12 meters. These plants are being planted to enhance public parks. (ref: ministry of Tourism)
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CAMBODIAN FOOD
 | Nhoim Troyong Cheit is a delicious and refreshing salad complimented by the tasty banana flower (troyong cheit) accompanied by tasty chopped bits of nuts, onion, lemon and carrot. This dish can be prepared with pork or chicken depending on one's preference. Whatever it is, the Nhoim Troyong Cheit is incredibly refreshing and quite a festival in itself. |
 | Nhoim Makak, is a delicious combination of dry shrimp, fish, fish sauce, chilli pepper and garlic and the Makak fruit all in one. The festivity of flavors in this mixed salad will awaken your senses. The kiwi-sized Makak (Otaheite Apple) has a pineapple-mango like flavor and crunchy texture that makes this a better preference over using the Mango for this salad. |
 | Broher tropeang is a refreshing soup. Light, and crisp, the hearty flavor is awarded to the unique flavoring from the green leaves and bamboo shoots. Step into the wilder side by adding prahok, fresh river fish and even smoked fish with mushrooms to spice up the fragrance. For a bit more, the connoisseurs of modern day Cambodia favour a tad bit of chili flakes to give it that extra kick. |
 | SGNOU CHRUK BONG KANG: This is the specialty and delicacy soup that will awaken your palates beyond belief. The fresh water lobster being one of the most flavorful creatures in Cambodia due to the richness of water in the country, really reflects on this dish as it is complimented by lemongrass, basil leaves, lime, chili and the delicious freshness of mint. Refreshing and Warming at the same time! |
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CAMBODIAN FOOD
Cambodian Food
| Prahok Kties is a delicious staple dish of Cambodian cuisine. Prahok, which means fermented fish, is GOLD to Cambodian cuisine, and can take up different shapes of flavor, depending on the recipe. Prahok Kties is fried with pork taken from the belly sides of the hog, which accentuates the flavor, particularly with the amazing quality of pork (sakchru) that Cambodia produces. It leaves you with an amazing taste in your palates. |
 | Machu Kroung (soup), a healthy, fulfilling, flavorful sweet and sour soup that is incredibly wholesome. The fried peanuts accentuate the soup. The lemongrass (slak krai) and the saffron truly complement each other and to top it off, the decorative local grown chili flakes (matey) make this quite an appealing site to the eye. This is in fact more towards a curry than it is the soup that most foreigners thought it to be. |
 | Korko, the hearty traditional gravy is truly quite delightful; its base ingredient is actually toasted rice pounded and turned into a tasty base and complimented by prahok, pork and pumpkin, which together add a delicious warmth and texture to the palate. Korko, is one of those great fusions of traditional ingredients cooked to perfection. |
 | Morning glory (tra kuen), amongst one of the most treasured vegetables in Cambodia, with its richness in flavor and vitamins attributed to the rich soil which it is grown in. The delicious essence of the oyster sauce, truly compliments this delicious leafy and abundant vegetable. |
| Nom Ban Chok (Cambodian noodle), is one of the favorites for locals and tourists in Cambodia. The essence of curry combines beautifully with the noodles and the texture of the vegetables: morning glory, cucumber, sprouts, and string beans and to spice it up, add a little matey (chili). The look of it is quite appealing with the decorative prolot (lotus stem), which is a beauty of nature, attractive to the eye and fulfilling to the appetite. |
 | Proheor: This delicious parade of flavors come together in this delicious soup, with yes, the most popular ingredient being the base, prahok. It is a soup that is a meal in itself, consisting of leafy vegetables, such as chili leaves and the exotic various herbs of the Cambodian Kingdom. |
MARINATED LEOMON GRASS BEEF
Preparation: 15 minutes + 3 - 4 hours marinating
Total cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
500g rump steak, cut into thin strips
3 steams lemon grass, white part only, finely chooped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon2 fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup (40g/11/4 oz) chopped roasted peanuts
How to cook
1. Place the steak in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Combine the lemon grass, onion, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and oil. Pour the marinade over the meat and toss to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours.
2. Heat the wok until very hot and stir-fry the beef in two batches over high heat until it is just browned. Toss constantly to make sure the small pieces of onion and lemon grass don't catch on the surface of the wok and burn.
3. Return all the meat to the wok. Add the peanuts and toss quickly until combined . Delicious served with instant noodles.
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Total cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
500g rump steak, cut into thin strips
3 steams lemon grass, white part only, finely chooped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon2 fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup (40g/11/4 oz) chopped roasted peanuts
How to cook
1. Place the steak in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Combine the lemon grass, onion, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and oil. Pour the marinade over the meat and toss to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours.
2. Heat the wok until very hot and stir-fry the beef in two batches over high heat until it is just browned. Toss constantly to make sure the small pieces of onion and lemon grass don't catch on the surface of the wok and burn.
3. Return all the meat to the wok. Add the peanuts and toss quickly until combined . Delicious served with instant noodles.
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NUM BANH CHOK
- Num Banh Chok Kampot: Rice Noodles Kampot Style
Ingredients:
500g rice noodles
200g dried shrimps
4 cups coconut milk
2 cups ripe pineapple
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cucumber
2 cups chi
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 cloves garlic, slices thinly
2 shallots, sliced thinly
How to cook:
Put the dried shrimps in water and while they soak prepare the fruit and vegetables.
Cut the pineapple into small chunks, julienne the cucumber, top and tail the bean sprouts and remove the chi from the stems.
Place each ingredient into a separate bowl.
Then drain the shrimps and pound coarsely in a clay mortar, before placing in a bowl.
Next warm the coconut milk and again place in a bowl.
Make the sauce by mixing the water, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce with the thinly sliced garlic and shallots,
Then arrange the cold rice noodles in the center of table with the smaller bowl around.
The dish is eaten by first taking noodles and coconut milk, and then adding others ingredients according to your taste.
The sauce is spooned on top of the noodle dish last of all.
- Num Banh Chok Nam Ya: Rice Noodles with Red Curry
300g catfish
1tbsp Prahok
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tbsp galangal, cut small
1 tbsp rhizome, cut small
1tbsp turmeric, cut small
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, crushedal and rhime
1 tbsp dried red chilli, soaked and chopped
1 tbsp salt
1tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
6 kaffir lime leaves
Continue pounding then follow with the garlic and shallots. Finally add the dried red chilli and pound lightly. Let the Kroeung stand in the mortar.
In a pan boil the catfish in 2 cups of water. When cooked, remove the skin and bones, and crumble into flakes. Reserve the broth for later. Add the fish flakes to the mortar and pound with the Kroeung into a smooth and consistent texture.
Boil the coconut cream over a medium-low heat, and when it starts to bubble, stir in the Kroeung-fish mixture. Allow 5 minutes for the fish-Kroeung to blend with the coconut cream.
When well mixed, bring to the boil and season with salt, sugar and fish sauce.
Then take the fish broth and boil. Place the Prahok in a sieve and plunge into the boiling soup, then scrape with a spoon so the flesh flavors the soup. Discard the skin and bones.
Add the fish soup to the coconut curry and mix in the torn up kaffir lime leaves. Boil for 5 minutes then serve over rice noodles with lime slices, basil and bean sprouts on side.
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This simple dish, originated in Kampot province, but is appreciated nationwide. This is freestyle dining where all the ingredients are prepared and placed in the centre of the table in separate bowls and everyone helps themselves according to their taste.
Ingredients:
500g rice noodles
200g dried shrimps
4 cups coconut milk
2 cups ripe pineapple
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cucumber
2 cups chi
Sauce:
2 tbsp fish sauce1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 cloves garlic, slices thinly
2 shallots, sliced thinly
How to cook:
Put the dried shrimps in water and while they soak prepare the fruit and vegetables.
Cut the pineapple into small chunks, julienne the cucumber, top and tail the bean sprouts and remove the chi from the stems.
Place each ingredient into a separate bowl.
Then drain the shrimps and pound coarsely in a clay mortar, before placing in a bowl.
Next warm the coconut milk and again place in a bowl.
Make the sauce by mixing the water, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce with the thinly sliced garlic and shallots,
Then arrange the cold rice noodles in the center of table with the smaller bowl around.
The dish is eaten by first taking noodles and coconut milk, and then adding others ingredients according to your taste.
The sauce is spooned on top of the noodle dish last of all.
- Num Banh Chok Nam Ya: Rice Noodles with Red Curry
Ingredients:
rice noodles300g catfish
1tbsp Prahok
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
Kroeung:
30g lemon grass stalk. sliced thinly1 tbsp galangal, cut small
1 tbsp rhizome, cut small
1tbsp turmeric, cut small
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, crushedal and rhime
1 tbsp dried red chilli, soaked and chopped
1 tbsp salt
1tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
6 kaffir lime leaves
How to cook
First make the Kroeung in a clay mortar. Pound the lemon grass stalk with the turmeric and when smooth add the galangal and rhizome.Continue pounding then follow with the garlic and shallots. Finally add the dried red chilli and pound lightly. Let the Kroeung stand in the mortar.
In a pan boil the catfish in 2 cups of water. When cooked, remove the skin and bones, and crumble into flakes. Reserve the broth for later. Add the fish flakes to the mortar and pound with the Kroeung into a smooth and consistent texture.
Boil the coconut cream over a medium-low heat, and when it starts to bubble, stir in the Kroeung-fish mixture. Allow 5 minutes for the fish-Kroeung to blend with the coconut cream.
When well mixed, bring to the boil and season with salt, sugar and fish sauce.
Then take the fish broth and boil. Place the Prahok in a sieve and plunge into the boiling soup, then scrape with a spoon so the flesh flavors the soup. Discard the skin and bones.
Add the fish soup to the coconut curry and mix in the torn up kaffir lime leaves. Boil for 5 minutes then serve over rice noodles with lime slices, basil and bean sprouts on side.
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WARM CITRUS BEEF SALAD
Warm Citrus Beef Salad
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Total cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Oil, for cooking
500g rump or sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
100g (31/2 oz) rocket leaves
40g (11/4 oz) snow pea sprouts
1 lemon, segmented
1 orange, segmented
How to cook
1. Heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to coat the side. Stir-fry the beef in batches until well browned, adding more oil when necessary. Remove from the wok and set aside.
2. Reheat the wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Return the meat to the wok along with combined citrus rind and juice.
3. Bring to the boil, then toss the rocket through the beef mixture and cook until the rocket is just wilted. Serve immediately on a bed of snow pea sprouts, surrounded by the lemon and orange segments.
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SAMLA KAKO
Samla Kako means "stirring soup" and a lot of stirring is needed to make this soup.
Kroeung
30b leaf of lemon grass, sliced finely
1 tbsp rhizome, cut small
1 tbsp turmeric, cut small
4 garlic cloves
shallots
1/2 cup rice, roasted and ground
tbsp salt
tbsp palm sugar (or white sugar)
tbsp fish sauce
1 cup angkeadei
1 cup m'rum
2 cups m'reach
3 stems Kantrup
How to cook
Prepare the kroeung, then chop chicken into bite-size pieces. Next remove leaves from angkeadei and m’rum stems and place in one bowl, and remove m’reah leaves but keep separately. Fry the kroeung and prohok in vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium-low heat. When the oil turns green from the kroeung, and the aroma intensifies add the chicken, salt, sugar and ¼ cup of water, stirring well. Allow chicken to cook for about 15 minutes, then add the vegetable combo, stirring constantly. Then add the roasted rice powder, still stirring and then the rest the water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring soup to the boil, once it bubbles add the fish sauce, and angkeadei and m’rum leaves and remove from heat immediately. Brush the kantrup over the flame about 4 times so the leaves burn slightly, then remove by running a thumb and index finger up the stem. Add to soup just before serving.
Note: Samlo kako is a lunchtime dish, usually served with steamed rice and with fresh m’reah leaves on the side.
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Ingredients 250 g chicken 1 tbsp Prahok 400 veg-fruit combo including: green papaya, green banana, green jack fruit, young palm fruit, sliced thinly, pumpkin, purple eggplant, cut into triangles long beans,cut into 10 cm pieces and pea eggplants. 5-6cups water |
30b leaf of lemon grass, sliced finely
1 tbsp rhizome, cut small
1 tbsp turmeric, cut small
4 garlic cloves
shallots
1/2 cup rice, roasted and ground
tbsp salt
tbsp palm sugar (or white sugar)
tbsp fish sauce
1 cup angkeadei
1 cup m'rum
2 cups m'reach
3 stems Kantrup
How to cook
Prepare the kroeung, then chop chicken into bite-size pieces. Next remove leaves from angkeadei and m’rum stems and place in one bowl, and remove m’reah leaves but keep separately. Fry the kroeung and prohok in vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium-low heat. When the oil turns green from the kroeung, and the aroma intensifies add the chicken, salt, sugar and ¼ cup of water, stirring well. Allow chicken to cook for about 15 minutes, then add the vegetable combo, stirring constantly. Then add the roasted rice powder, still stirring and then the rest the water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring soup to the boil, once it bubbles add the fish sauce, and angkeadei and m’rum leaves and remove from heat immediately. Brush the kantrup over the flame about 4 times so the leaves burn slightly, then remove by running a thumb and index finger up the stem. Add to soup just before serving.
Note: Samlo kako is a lunchtime dish, usually served with steamed rice and with fresh m’reah leaves on the side.
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Monday, April 25, 2011
THE MAIN CAMBODIAN ISLANDS
The Main Cambodian Islands
Beach Holiday on the Cambodia Islands
| The following is the list of Island of the Kingdom of Cambodia - Koh Pos - Koh Kaung Kang - Koh Rung Sanloeung - Koh Kong - Koh Khteah - Koh Chraloh - Koh Ta kiev - Koh Tang - Koh Pring - Koh Poulo Wei - Koh Dek Kol - Koh Rong - Koh Proeuv - Koh Seusei - Koh Sramaoch - Koh Trach |
DISTANCE: PHNOM PENH - PROVINCES
| Provinces | Code | Dist.PP |
| Ratanakiri | 075 | 636 km |
| Preah Vihear | 543 km | |
| Mondulkiri | 073 | 543 km |
| Stung Treng | 074 | 481 km |
| Kratie | 072 | 340 km |
| Pailin | 053 | 378 km |
| Banteay Meanchey | 054 | 351 km |
| Siem Reap | 063 | 314 km |
| Battambang | 053 | 291 km |
| Koh Kong | 035 | 280 km |
| Oudor Meanchey | 0065 | 231 km |
| Sihanouk ville | 034 | 226 km |
| Pursat | 052 | 186 km |
| Kampong Thom | 062 | 168 km |
| Kampot | 033 | 148 km |
| Kep Municipality | 036 | 148 km |
| Kampong Cham | 042 | 124 km |
| Svay Rieng | 044 | 124 km |
| Prey Veng | 043 | 91 km |
| Kampong Chhnang | 026 | 91 km |
| Takeo | 032 | 78 km |
| Kampong Speu | 025 | 48 km |
| Kandal | 024 | 13 km |
The Main Cambodian Islands
| The following is the list of Island of the Kingdom of Cambodia - Koh Pos - Koh Kaung Kang - Koh Rung Sanloeung - Koh Kong - Koh Khteah - Koh Chraloh - Koh Ta kiev - Koh Tang - Koh Pring - Koh Poulo Wei - Koh Dek Kol - Koh Rong - Koh Proeuv - Koh Seusei - Koh Sramaoch - Koh Trach |
GEOGRAPHY
Cambodia has land area of 181 035 sq.km, in the south-west part of the Indochina peninsula, about 20% of which is used for agriculture. The country's maximum extent is about 580 km (est-west) and 450 km (north-south). It is bounded on the west by Thailand, on the north by Thailand and Laos, on the east by Vietnam and on the south by the Gulf of Thailand. In comparison wit its neighboring countries, Cambodia is administratively divided into 24 provinces and the capital of Phnom Penh. Provinces are further subdivided into 159 districts and 26 municipalities. The capital is divided into 8 khan. Districts are consist of 1417 Khum and 204Sangkat.
Socio-Economics At a Glance
SOCIO-ECONOMICS AT A GLANCE
| Official Name | Kingdom of Cambodia |
| Flag of Cambodia |  |
| Royal arms of Cambodia |  |
| Motto: |  "Nation, religion, King" |
| Anthem: | Nokoreach |
| Surface area: | 181 035 sq.km |
| Capital City: | Phnom Penh |
| Official Language: | Khmer |
| Demonym: | Khmer or Cambodian |
| King: | Samdech Preah Norodom Sihamoni |
| Prime Minister: | Samdech Dek Cho Hun Sen |
| Government: | Constitutional monarchy, Parliamentary representative democracy |
| Legislature: - Upper House - Lower House | Parliament Senate National Assembly |
| Population: - Male - Female | 13,395,682 (2008) 48.6% 51.4% |
| Density of population: | 75 per sq.km |
| Population Growth Rate: | 1.54% |
| Climatic condition: | Tropical and monsoon |
| National Currency: | Riel (R) |
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