We embarked on a Cambodian dinner this weekend. I was able to get everything I needed at the Saigon Market down at Findlay. Cambodian is similar to Vietnamese, and Thai (somewhat). Cambodian dishes are fairly healthy, vibrant with color, and fragant with spices. I loved the flavors of all 3 dishes, and will be making Phnom Penh very soon again!
Cambodian Phnom Penh Noodle Soup
This dish is the Cambodian’s version of the Vietnamese dish Pho. Broth base, with rice noodles, and topped with various meats, fish, sauces, and herbs. This was so delicious, the presentation of the dish is beautiful, and it’s a very healthy dinner!
Recipe (the link takes a while to load, but give it a few seconds, the recipe is worth the wait!) http://khatiya-korner.com/blog/2010/11/03/cambodian-phnom-penh-noodle-soup/
Garlic , peppercorns, and coriander, gets smashed into a paste for the seasonings of the broth, I then cooked pork loin in water with this, and onion, and a few other ingredients for 3 hours, strain, and the base of the soup is ready.
Cilantro, shrimp, mung bean sprouts, limes, rice noodles, and some shredded pork loin is all thrown into the broth in individual bowls.
Topped with sirachi, complete! Delicious!
Fresh Spring Rolls
These are super healthy and tasty, made with rice paper soaked in water, and stuffed with steamed carrots, bok choy, chicken and bean sprouts. These are not fried or baked, the wrapper is soft and flimsy when you eat it. I did not follow this recipe excatly, but the basics are there.
Recipe: http://www.khmerkromrecipes.com./
Steaming carrots and bok choy.
Amok Trey
This fish dish was steamed in banana leaves, and was very aromatic. I wish I gad made rice to go along with it, that would have made the dish much better, but it was very tasty and aromatic as we at it.
Recipe: http://asiasociety.org/lifestyle/food-recipes/recipe/seafood/fish-amok-cambodias-national-dish
Swai filets cut up and resting in salt and pepper.
After fish is cooked in coconut sauce, it is placed on banana leaves.
Banana leaves are folded up into a boat (not the easiest thing to do), and steamed for an hour.
Reading this made me recall all the years I lived in Hawaii. We had a lot of southeast Asia immigrants and there were many southeast Asian restaurants. I absolutely love food from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand . . . I wish we had more here in central Oregon.
Your meal sounds like it was really great. Thanks for the recipes.