Day 3 Cooking Class

So where exactly is Cambodia again? 

(Don't forget you can click on any picture to get full size) 

Why not test your knowledge on the geography of South East Asia with this little game?

Our hostess (holding lemon grass)

On our third day in Siem Reap we took a break from the temples and sightseeing to try our hand at cooking traditional Khmer cuisine.  Khmers are the dominant people in Cambodia (with some Chinese and Vietnamese) and have been since the 2nd Century, creating the country's cultural heritage including the language, architecture, dancing and food.  Khmer dishes centre around rice and noodles, with mild curries and stir-fries typically containing coconut milk.  There was a mix-up over the booking for our cookery class - a mishap that turned to our advantage.  We began with a trip to the Old Market, where we were immersed in the noise and bustle of a happening place, with sights and smells to shock the senses.  As far as I could see we were the only Westerners and as Ian towered over the tiny Cambodians, like a regular Gulliver on his travels, he got some brilliant photos.

In the year of 40 BB (Before Bluewater)

Beetles for tea tonight anyone?

There were rows of beautifully laid out fruit and veg, some we recognised, some we didn't.  Fresh meat.  Fresh fish, still squirming.  Fresh beetles, still creepy-crawling.  Stalls offering the local version of fast food.  Hundreds of spices, dried fruit and nuts.  Our guide books had warned us about prahok - a strong, pungent, fermented fish paste that finds its way into many Khmer dishes, and there was certainly a whiff of it in the market.  It's a quaint custom, not appreciated by Louise's stomach.       

Dragon Fruit

Now that beats the stir fry pack.

I'm definitely trying this out at home

We were chauffeured away from the charms of the anti-supermarket to our air-conditioned, masterclass kitchen in a 4*hotel.  We each chose the menu that we wanted to produce and, assisted by our Chef we spent the rest of the morning chopping, stirring and refining our Cambodian culinary skills. We were given a recipe booklet to take home, which you can also download from the Angkor Village hotel website, if you fancy giving it a go. 

Richard is definitely going all Cheffy on us

We are so proud of - Spring Rolls, Amok Fish, Saraman Red Beef Curry, Pineapple Nems and Mango Sticky Rice

Dining on our fine cuisine amongst the tropical ponds of the hotel restaurant

And it's only lunchtime!  Day 3 to be continued....