Cambodian Cuisine - History and Influences

History and Influences

Water, rice and freshwater fish are the most profound influences on Khmer cuisine. The Mekong river, the twelfth longest river in the world cuts through the very heart of Cambodia, and the capital Phnom Penh is situated on its riverbank, at the junction where two other rivers meet, the Tonle Sap and Bassac. The Tonle Sap river connects the Mekong with the Tonle Sap lake, or Great Lake, which acts as a liquid heart and natural reservoir for the entire Mekong river system, regulating the flow of huge volumes of water, and allowing the safe passage of an astonishing number of freshwater fish. The lake itself is believed to have more fish than any other in the world, and ranks second only to the Amazon river in biodiversity.

When the rainy season begins at the start of the Khmer New Year in April, the region becomes inundated with monsoonal rain and Cambodia turns into a vast ocean of emerald rice paddies. The geographical setting of wetlands (Cambodia ranks second to Bangladesh in Asia as having the most amount of wetland) and floodplains explains why water, and hence fish and rice (which both grow in water) are such an integral component to the cuisine. Many dishes, in particular the samlors, have a pond-like appearance, and are often loaded with various types of reed-like plants, leaves and vegetables, mirroring the surrounding landscape. Dipping sauces tend to be quite watery, as are most Cambodian curries.

At about the size of the US state of Oklahoma, Cambodia, situated at the very heart of the Indochina peninsula, has the smallest landmass of any country in mainland Southeast Asia. However, this was not always the case. In the twelfth century the Khmers built the largest state ever to have existed in Indochina, centred on the capital city of Angkor Thom near the shores of the Tonle Sap and covering parts of what are now Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

The ancient Khmers grew tremendously wealthy through their mastery of hydrology, engineering and water management, as evidenced by the gigantic barays (reservoirs) and system of canals located near present-day Siem Reap, allowing them to produce not one but three rice harvests per year. Angkor Thom was the largest and most populous city in the world in the 12th century. When the empire finally collapsed in the 1400s, Cambodia entered the period known as the Dark Ages of Cambodia, in which the struggling country recorded an almost continual decline in territory and power. By the time the French had entered the scene in the 1860s, Cambodia was on the verge of almost completely disappearing off the map, with huge swathes of former Khmer territory being annexed or absorbed by either Vietnam or Siam (Thailand).

Today, Khmer cuisine shares much in common with the food of neighbouring Thailand, although it is not as overly reliant on chilli, sugar or coconut cream for flavour; and Vietnam, with whom it shares and adopts many common dishes and a colonial history, both being part of the French colonial empire in Southeast Asia. It has also drawn upon influences from the cuisines of China and France, both of whom are powerful players in Cambodian history. The Chinese began arriving in the 13th century, but Chinese migration accelerated during the French period. Curry dishes, known as kari (in Khmer, ការី) show a trace of cultural influence from India. The many variations of rice noodles show the influences from Chinese cuisine. Preserved lemons are another unusual ingredient not commonly found in the cooking of Cambodia's neighbours, which is used in some Khmer dishes to enhance the sourness of a dish. The Portuguese and Spanish also had considerable influence in Cambodian affairs for a while in the 16th century, introducing chilli and peanuts into Asia from the New World. However chilli never gained the same status or prominence as it did with the cuisines of neighbouring Thailand, Laos and Malaysia, and even today very few recipes include chilli as an ingredient.

A legacy of the French is the baguette, known as nom pang in Khmer, and which is ubiquitous in all parts of Cambodia today. Ironically, as dependant as Cambodia is on rice for food and its identity, Cambodians are also said to eat more bread than any other people in Asia. Cambodians often eat bread with pâté, tinned sardines or eggs. One of these with a cup of strong coffee, sweetened with condensed milk, is an example of a common Cambodian breakfast. Freshly buttered baguette can also be made into sandwiches (also called nom pang), and may be stuffed with slices of Kampot ham or any number of grilled meats, similar to Vietnamese banh mi. The French also introduced beer, butter, pate, coffee, chocolate, onions, carrots, broccoli, potatoes and many other types of non-native produce to Southeast Asia.

Traditionally, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four separate dishes. A meal will usually include a soup, or samlor, served alongside the main courses. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Chili (fresh, pickled or dried) and chilli sauce is served on the side, and left up to individual diners and to their taste. In this way Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavor to satisfy their palates.