THERE’S SOMETHING IN CAMBODIA that glues people together, encouraging folk to share quality moments or stories about life. This glue that binds – food – is the sticky rice which unites the country. Khmer cuisine is one of the world’s oldest: simplicity, freshness, regionalism, elegance in the use of spices and extravagant presentation are but a few of the traits for which this gastronomy is praised. This month, the Cambodian Cuisine Festival invites you to explore national food treasures firsthand, be they amok and num songvak from Battambang province, mi kola from Pailin, fried frogs from Takeo province or typical street vendor’s favourites.
“Unfortunately, in the 1970s during Pol Pot’s time, nearly all of our cuisine was wiped out,” explains Rano Reach Sy Fisher, from Pour Un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE), the NGO organising the festival. “Behind this festival, there is big research involved. We combed all of the provinces and sometimes we stayed in a village for a few weeks to get to know local people, particularly women, since in Cambodia the passing of recipes is transmitted from mother to daughter.”
What started as a small charity party on PSE’s campus eight years ago has since become an institution, attracting more than 8,000 visitors of every hue. “People travel the world and discover new dishes,” Rano explains. “Here it’s the same, but on a small scale. For Cambodians it’s a way to rediscover their own identity; for foreigners, a way to know more about the country.”
Unique delicacies from 18 provinces are poised to steal focus, including five newly updated dishes, rediscovered recipes and 20 books representing street food and its evolution. “In England you have Gordon Ramsay,” Rano grins, “but here you go to the streets and you find Ramsay everywhere, creating new things.”
Asked about his favourite dish of previous years, Rano cites stuffed frogs. “They are stuffed with very rich ingredients and then deep-fried. They are amazing!” But the fare which reduces him to Proustian time travel is, of course, dessert: “The gems of Khmer cuisine are desserts. Anything with sticky rice brings me home and to my granny’s cooking.” Care to try your own hand at making Cambodian desserts? A stand showcasing the ‘Sweet Taste of Cambodia’ offers a collection of regional recipes. Beyond the food, expect live music, martial arts, comedians, traditional dance and a kids’ playground.
WHO: Anyone with an appetite
WHAT: Cambodian Cuisine Festival
WHERE: Olympic Stadium
WHEN: 5pm March 28 & 29
WHY: “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world” – JRR Tolkien