Khmer Cooking - II

Khmer Recipes II

Somlah Machoo Soup
This recipe is a great example of the kind of Cambodian soup known as Somlah Machoo, with its herb paste and lightly sour taste of tamarind. These flavors serve as a backdrop for the watercress and pork ribs. Other vegetables that go well with the ribs are zucchini and young winter melon, which, unlike zucchini, has to be peeled. Cut either vegetable lengthwise in half, slice 1/4 inch thick and add it haft an hour before the soup is done. You may want to ask the butcher to cut the ribs into pieces for you.

THE INGREDIENTS: ( SERVE 4 PERSONS )
* 2 stalks of lemongrass, thinly sliced.
* 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped.
* 1 tablespoon peeled, coarsely chopped galangal.
* 1 large shallot, coarsely chopped.
* 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro.
* 1/4 teaspoon turmeric.
* 2/3 cup water.

TO MAKE THE PASTE: Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, 2 to 3 munintes.

* 2 1/2 pounds of baby back ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces across the bone, then cut between the bones.
* 1 tablespoon prahok ( optional ).
* 5 cups of water.
* 3 tablespoons of fish sauce.
* 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt.
* 1 tablespoon of sugar.
* 1 cup of tamarind juice.
* 1-1 1/2 pounds of Chinese watercress or regular watercress, cut into 2-inch pieces ( or young winter melon or zucchini ).
* Julienned red bell pepper, for garnish.

PREPARE THE SOUP: Transfer the paste to a large pot, stir in the ribs and prahok ( if using ) and cook over medium-high heat, stirring well, for 5 to 6 munintes. Add the water, fish sauce, salt and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. When the soup has reached a boil, skim, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the ribs are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir in the tamarind juice and watercress, remove from the heat and serve in bowls, garnished with slices of red pepper.


Sach ko ang nung tirk plei spuu.(Khmer Krom star fruit steak.)

Grilled beefsteak with delicious, spicy star fruit marinade sauce is my family favorite. For this recipe my family prefers with tenderloin steak rolls but sirloin steak also very good and much cheaper.

Ingredients :
4 Pieces tenderloin steak rolls, approx 1 ½ lbs

Sauce:
1 Ripped star fruit, seeded and slices
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Teaspoon sea salt
2 Hot chili pepper or to your taste (option)
¼ Teaspoon black pepper
1 Cup water

Procedures : Places steak rolls in container. Set it a side. Put remaining ingredients in a blender and blended it well. Pour sauce over steaks, covered container and refrigerated it over night or at least 4 hours. Cook steak over hot grill to your liking. Serve hot with rice or potato.


Nem To hu sap.(Khmer Krom vegetarian summer roll.)

Khmer Krom vegetarian summer roll is light , delicious and great for appetite. Combination of lightly brown tofu with fresh cucumber, mint, lettuce and rice vermicelli noodles wraps in rice paper is very tasty to serve at any meal.
Ingredients :
2 Pieces firm Tofu.
16 Pieces rice papper.
2 Cups cooked rice vermicelli noodles.
1 Cucumber. Peeled and cut into same length as Tofu with 16 slices.
2 Cups chopped Romaine or Boston lettuce.
1 Cup chopped mint.
2 Tablespoon cooking oil.
A bowl of warm water to moist rice paper.

Procedures : Heat up a non-stick frying pan, when it hot add cooking oil and places tofu in the frying pan.Lightly brown both sides tofu, remove from the heat when done. Cut 8 slices out of each piece of tofu. Set a side.Take a piece of rice paper and lay flat on a plate or cutting board.Moisten your fingers with water and rubs gently on top of rice paper.When the rice paper is softening, take a slice of tofu put on 1/3 top of rice paper.Top tofu with cucumber, some cook rice noodle, chopped lettuce and mint.Lifts the top part and both side of rice paper over the ingredients. Carefully roll it tightly forward like you roll spring roll.Continue until done. Serve with Sweet dipping soy sauce


Kdam salk chien nung xieng .(Soft shell crab with bean sauce. )
Khmer Krom loves soft-shell crab because it taste great and can eat whole. About soft-shell crab: Crab sheds many times during their whole life span; before crab shed out the hard-shell, it grows a new layer of soft-shell under the hard-shell. During this shedding or molting process crab go hidden or buried under sands until crab’s soft-shell harden. At the same time the crabbers would be look out to catch the soft-shell crab. When you buy soft-shell crab, touch it body to check for firmness. Don’t buy if soft-shell crab has strong odor. Fresh soft-shell crab has very light odor. Golden crispy deep fry soft shell crab savor with gingery black bean sauce is absolute delicious.

Ingredients :
2 Large soft- shell crab.
1 Cup all purpose flour.
1 Cup cold water.
2 Tablespoons corn starch.
4 Cups cooking oil.

SAUCE:
1 Cup water.
1 Tablespoon cornstarch.
2 Tablespoons soy bean paste. Rinsed soybean under cold water, drained.
1 Tablespoon soy sauce.
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce.
1 Tablespoon sugar.
4 Cloves garlic. Minced.
1 Yellow onion. Sliced.
1 Tablespoon grated ginger root.
3 Stalks green onion. Chopped ½ inch in length.
¼ Teaspoon black pepper.
3 Chili pepper. Chopped.(Option).

Procedures : Removed apron (flap on the belly) of soft-shell crab, washed crab with cold water. Drained. Pour cooking oil in a large skillet, before heat up the oil, saved back 2 tablespoons oil for sauce later . While waiting for the oil to hot, put all-purpose flour with cornstarch and water in large bowl. Mix it well. Gently immersed crab in flour batter and deep fry crab till both sides crispy.Removed fried crab and placed it in paper towel covered plate to drain excessive oil. SAUCE: In a small bowl, mix water with cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Mix well. Pre-heat a small saucepan or skillet. When it hot pour 2 tablespoons oil (from saved back).Sauté garlic, yellow onion, ginger, chili pepper and soybean paste. Stirs well. Pour cornstarch sauce in skillet; stirs well till the sauce thicken. Add green onion before serve.To serve:Put crab in a big plate or platter, pour bean sauce over fried crab and sprinkles with black pepper. Serve hot as mahope sar (appetizer) or with rice.


Sach chrouk kho tirk doung poan chap .(Caramelized pork with quail eggs)

Traditionally, most Khmer Krom cook a big pot of caramelized pork with chicken , duck or quail
eggs on New Year Eve to eat for the whole week along with other foods. Caramelized pork with eggs is one of the most popular food offerings in Kampuchea Krom, because pork and eggs are symbol of luck and wealth.My friends prefers caramelized pork hocks and quail eggs to caramelized pork with , duck or chicken eggs because my dad loves bony and fatty meat with skin on, and the rest of family loves the tiny quail eggs. Quail eggs taste same as duck or chicken eggs but much smaller, perfect bite sizes. Caramelized pork with coconut juice and quail eggs is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients :
3 lbs. Pork hock or 1 ½ lbs Pork meat with skin on or lean meat.Cut to bite sizes.
1 Canned coconut juice. or 2 cups fresh young coconut juice.
3 Cups water.
2 Cloves garlic. Minced.
1 Stalks green onion. Chopped.
1 Teaspoon salt.
¼ Cup fish sauce.
2 Tablespoons sugar.
¼ Teaspoon black pepper.
2 Dozen fresh quail eggs or 1 canned quail eggs.
Caramelized Sauce.
1 Teaspoon sugar.
1 Tablespoon water.

Procedures : If you’re using fresh quail eggs, boiled quail eggs, removed the shells and set a side.If you’re using canned quail eggs. Drained and rinsed under cold water, set a side.To make caramelized sauce: Put 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a pot that big enough to hold all the ingredients. Cook sugar water in low heat and stirs frequently till sugar turns dark brown color, and not burn.Immediately add pork meat and garlic in the pot , and pour coconut juice (or soda) and water over the meat. Add sugar, fish sauce, black pepper and salt.Cook in low heat till pork tender tender. Add quail eggs with pork meat and simmering till meat is tender.Sprinkles with chopped green onion before serve. Serve hot with rice.


Samlor Nam NgauChicken with Preserved Lemon Soup

This soup is one of Khmer Authentic dish. You can cook with pork, beef, and duck also. It’s very easy to make. The soup is light and delicious with rice.

Ingredients :

½ Chicken. Cut up to 8 pieces.
1 Preserved lemon. Cut in half. You could find it at Asian markets, it comes in a jar.
5 Cups water.
2 Gloves garlic. Do not peel.
1 Tablespoon fish sauce.
1 Teaspoon sugar.
½ Teaspoon salt.
Black pepper.
Half yellow onion. Slice.
1 Stalk green onion. Chopped.

Procedures :
In a soup pot, place chicken, yellow onion, preserved lemon, garlic and pour water in.
Cook till the meat tender to your liking. Seasoning with sugar, salt and fish sauce.
Sprinkle green onion and black pepper.

Serve hot with rice.


Samlor Machu TreySweet and Sour Soup with Fish

This soup has a sweet, sour and spicy taste. Very popular in Cambodian kitchens because it is very easy to make and taste yummy. But it takes so many herbs and vegetables to make a perfect bowl of soup. My recommendation for this soup is to seasoning to your taste. Some like more sour and some like sweeter. Is all depending on how you prefer the taste.
Ingredients :

1 Whole fish about 2 lbs. Cut up to steak size.
6 Cups water.
1/2 Fresh pineapple. Diced or
1 large can chunk pineapple.
1/2 lb Fresh okra. Or
6 oz frozen whole okra.
1 1/2 Tablespoon Knorr tamarind Soup base powder
3 Tablespoon sugar.
2 Tablespoon fish sauce.
1/4 Teaspoon salt.
1 Table spoon cooking oil.
2 Gloves garlic. Crushed.
1 Stalk lemon grass.
1/4 lb Bean sprouts
1 Stalk celery. Chopped.
2 Tomatoes. Cut ½ inch slices.
2 Stalks Asian rhubarb. Sliced thin.
1 Cup chopped mix herbs (rice paddy herb( ma-om), sweet basil, saw leaf herb and green onion leave).
Hot chili pepper. (Optional)

Procedures :
Heat up a small saucepan on the stove with cooking oil. Sauté’ garlic and lemon grass. Set a side. Pour water in large soup pot. Bring to boil. Add fish, pineapple (juice and all if you are using from the can). When fish cooked, add okra, celery and tamarind powder. Stir gentles be careful not break the fish. Add Asian rhubarb, tomatoes, bean sprouts and pour lemon grass oil over. Stirs. Seasoning with sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Top with mix herbs and hot chili pepper. Serve hot.