By: Southeast Asia Globe editorial - POSTED ON: September
26, 2014
Gastronomic artistes from across the globe showcase
local ingredients in a whole new light
There is something
a little bit special about Cambodian cuisine. A combination of local tastes, mixed
with the best of Chinese, Indian and Thai influences makes for a culinary
crusade like no other. The unique flavours are subtle and refined, with many
dishes taking hours to prepare, although it all begins with the array of fresh,
local produce available across the country. These ingredients have attracted
skilled epicurean adventurers from across the globe, and the country has begun
to garner a reputation as a foodie paradise, with exciting culinary talents
taking Cambodian ingredients in thrilling new directions. Discover asked
three of the country’s finest chefs, from three different continents, to choose
their favourite local ingredients and create a dish that exudes the flavour of
a nation that is forging ahead on an exhilarating culinary journey.
Luu
Meng, Cambodia. Lemongrass. Photo: Sam Jam
Samlor
Korko. Meng says: “Many countries in this region have lemongrass, so it is an
ingredient that most chefs need. It has so many uses, such as in tea and even
for incense, but in Cambodian kitchens we mainly use it for salads, stews,
soups and desserts. Cambodia is a great place to get lemongrass, because the
methods used to grow it are usually quite natural, so Cambodian lemongrass is
very flavoursome compared to neighbouring countries. Samlor Korko is a
traditional, stew-like dish in Cambodia that includes pork, lemongrass and lots
of wild herbs. The word ‘korko’ relates to the long stirring and mixing process
that the dish requires. We use the green part of the lemongrass, chopped very
fine, pounded and mixed into a paste we call kroeung.” Photo: Sam Jam
Gisela
Salazar, Venezuela. Favourite ingredient: Mango and Passion Fruit. Photo: Sam
Jam
Mango
cannelloni with marinated salmon and a passion fruit espuma. Gisela says: “Here
in Cambodia, a lot of the ingredients are similar to those we use in Venezuela,
so I’ve been eating mango and passion fruit since I was very small. They
are my two favourite fruits. I like the idea of playing with salty and sweet,
and acidic in the case of the passion fruit. In the dish, I took out the pasta
that would normally be used for cannelloni and replaced it with mango, and the
salmon inside is marinated in ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime and olive
oil. I used passion fruit as part of an espuma, mixing it with mustard and
honey, because the flavours combine so well. Even if you’re just walking down
the street in Cambodia, a guy will pull up on his bike and offer you fresh
mangoes. They’re in the markets, in the street, up on trees; they’re just
everywhere.” Photo: Sam Jam
Johannès
Rivière, France. Lotus. Photo: Sam Jam
Quail
salad with lotus root, stem and seed. Johannès says: “I chose lotus because it
is a very important plant in Asian culture: the symbolism of lotus, of purity,
is found everywhere. Also, you can do everything with it. You can use the leaf
to wrap food, you can make fabric from the sap and you can use it to make food.
The stem is quite crunchy and starchy, the seeds taste like very fresh green
peas and the root is boiled to bring a very soft texture to the dish. This is
my take on a traditional Cambodian salad. It’s very classic with vegetables,
meat, herbs, peanuts and some dressing. The idea was to work on the different
textures you can get from lotus. It is quite traditional in preparation but a
bit more contemporary with the use of lotus, which is not usually used for
salads.” Photo: Sam Jam
Long-term strategy needed for tourism Post Staff | Publication date 04 July 2018 | 08:40 ICT Share From left: Piip Amarisara Jaturapat, the senior partner at Thalias; Luu Meng, president of the Cambodia Tourism Federation; and Ly Tayseng, CEO of Post Media, at the Cambodia Tourism Federation networking event on Tuesday. Hong Menea The Cambodian tourism sector is set for more spectacular growth in the next few years, thanks to industry promotion and networking through the Cambodia Tourism Federation (CTF) and support from the Ministry of Tourism. The CTF president and co-chair of the Government Private Sector Working Group-B on Tourism, Luu Meng, said this at a CTF networking event in Phnom Penh on Tuesday with the theme, Stronger Together in Tourism. “Our country is known as the ‘Kingdom of Wonder’ because of its historical and natural richness. Our ultimate goal is marketing and bringing more people to experience our wonderful country. “But to do
US Foods Week 2018 ends with a bang Anith Adilah Othman / Khmer Times Share: Group Photo with US cooperative Partners included: US Embassy, US Dry Bean Council, Cambodia Tourism Federation & Importers. Supplied The 2018 US Foods Week officially ended, after 10 days of gastronomic promotion, on Wednesday (Dec. 12). The chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Michael A. Newbill, spoke at the closing ceremony in Raffles Hotel Le Royal on Friday (Dec.14). Present at the auspicious ceremony were, among others, the economic associate at the US Embassy, Lauren Higgins, and Cambodian Tourism Federation President Luu Meng. Mr Newbill called the event a grand success, as it won over a great number of people who had sampled the high quality US foods offered, and a manifestation of the growing trade ties between the US and Cambodia. “Cambodians are eager to try US products and taste American food. We hope to see more US agricultural and food products in
Comments
Post a Comment