Cambodian Dishes with Rice
in Phnom Penh
Like Thailand's "gap khao" - various dishes served with rice and typically enjoyed family-style - many of Cambodia's day-to-day meals are eaten in a similar style.
One evening on a recent visit to Phnom Penh, I stopped in with some local friends at a small family-run restaurant to sample some delicious Cambodian dishes for dinner.
Special thanks to Lost Plate Food Tours (https://lostplate.com/), who operate fantastic food tours out of China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Portland, Oregon.
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| several traditional Cambodian dishes to be eaten with rice in Phnom Penh |
We ordered several dishes to share alongside a big plate of white rice.
We took a seat outside near the street. It was a warm and pleasant evening, and we talked and watched the bustle of Cambodia's capital city while we waited for our dinner to arrive. It didn't take long, and soon our table was laden with several appetizing dishes.
Chha Trob, or Grilled Eggplant with Minced Pork
The first dish that we tried was called chaa trob, or grilled eggplant with minced pork.
The dish starts with eggplant that is char-grilled to impart a smoky flavor and aroma. Followers of this blog will know that I really enjoy smoky flavors in my food (see Hellfire Pad Thai, Seafood Char Koay Kak, or the "Combo Obama").
The smoky char-grilled eggplant is paired with delicious and fatty minced pork and a calvacade of seasonings including fish paste, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, and more. Soft, tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor, this dish packs an incredible amount of taste into every bite. It's rich and umami and not at all spicy, making it able to be enjoyed by everyone.
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| chha trob, or Cambodian grilled eggplant with minced pork in Phnom Penh |
Prahok with Minced Pork and Pea Eggplant
Next up was prahok with minced pork and pea eggplant.
"Prahok" is a type of fermented fish paste (usually made from Mekong River snakehead fish) which is used as a base, seasoning, and condiment for several different Cambodian dishes. Because of this salty fish paste's strong flavor and aroma (which some liken to that of a Limburger or ripe Camembert), it has been nicknamed "Cambodian cheese".
Prahok gives a dish a strong salty and umami flavor. In this dish, minced pork, pea eggplants (a type of very small, round, crunchy young eggplant), and chili paste are stir-fried with a generous portion of prahok so that the meat absorbs all of the fish paste's rich flavors.
This dish was one of my favorites that I tried during my visit to Cambodia. I really loved the variety of flavor and texture, and the fact that it was a little bit spicy!
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| Cambodian prahok, or fermented fish paste, stir-fried with pork, pea eggplant, and chili paste |
Braised Pork Belly Stew
Finally, we enjoyed a very rich, hearty, sweet, and savory pork belly stew which came with a boiled egg. This stew consists of fatty pork belly that is braised in a dark and intensely flavorful broth made from caramelized palm sugar, Kampot pepper, garlic, and other aromatics.
The pork is braised low and slow and becomes so soft and tender that every bite melts away in your mouth. The pork meat and the boiled egg absorb all of the rich and aromatic flavors of the thin, dark, oily broth and take on its delicious aroma.
Although it's a simple dish, it tastes decadent and luxurious.
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| Cambodian braised pork belly stew in Phnom Penh |
Location
This little family run restaurant called ចែស្រស់ លក់បាយ (Fresh Rice for Sale) is located at House 155 Street 63 Sangkat Chaktomok, 12207, Cambodia. It's a simple little shop selling delicious and hearty traditional Cambodian stir-fries, stews, and rice dishes.
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| a local Cambodian restaurant in Phnom Penh |
The restaurant is open daily from 10:00 am until midnight.
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