The ingredients, the salting and the process of the preparation of Prahok give the paste its distinctive odor and taste, which was why it was started to be used as a condiment for the Cambodian cuisine. Although the Prahok is unique to Cambodia, but you can find similar condiments in other cultures and cuisines as well, such as the use of Pissalat in the French cuisine.

Due to the distinct smell and pungent taste of Prahok, it is also fondly known as the Fish Cheese. In fact, to most of the Western tourists, this is what Prahok is known by. But with the passage of time, Prahok has become popular with the people in the West, and its use has been recognized and increased in international cuisine over time.

Prahok was actually invented out of bare necessity by the Cambodian people, as this food type allows preserving the fish meat for a long period of time, the span of which could be months. This was found useful by the Cambodian fishermen, who used the Prahok during the months when the fish were not found in great numbers in the local rivers.

However, these innovations lead to develop a unique taste that would prove to become one of the most distinctive identities of the Cambodian cuisine. Prahok can be prepared by crushing or grinding the fresh fish meat, which is then left to dry in the sun for a full day. After that, the crushed meat is salted, and is kept sealed in jars full of salt for the purpose of preservation.

The preparation of Prahok is not really limited to any particular type of fish, but it is said that the larger the fish, the better will be the quality of Prahok made out of its meat. And as is the case in legacies pertaining to fish, the rarer the fish the higher will be its desirability. This is why Prahok made from the Gourami fish is the most expensive.

There are several ways in which Prahok can be used in the Cambodian cuisine, but it is not used in the raw form, as that can be potentially harmful to health. Prahok can be used in fried form, mixed with beef and pork, or could be roasted covered in banana leaves. Locally, the most popular use of Prahok is with rice.

If you visit Cambodia and forget to taste how a Cambodian recipe with Prahok tastes like, then you surely would miss one of the most important tastes that the Cambodian culinary can offer you. In order to make your exploration and experience of Cambodia wholesome to the fullest, make sure that you taste the most celebrated Cambodian delicacies with Prahok, such as the Pleah or beef salad with Prahok.

In Cambodia tropical fruits, rice, noodles, drinks, desserts, and various soups are popular among the Khmer Cuisine (food served in Cambodia).  Almost every meal contains rice in some way, so rice is known as the country’s staple food, with the second being noodles.

Cambodian dishes are much influenced from its neighbors, Thailand and Vietnam, China, France, and India.  A major difference is that the Khmer food is considerably less spicy than its neighbors.  An interesting fact that most people do not know about Khmer food is that many of the south-east Asia dishes were in fact influenced by the Khmer Kingdom over a thousand years ago.

Some people Consider Cambodian food simple to prepare and bland to the taste, but the Khmer food really is a work of art.  While Cambodian food is less spicy and involves fewer ingredients, its saving ingredient is the combination of herbs and seasonings.  Cambodian cooking is simply to compare, but unique in its ways.

Cambodian food differs so much from other Asian food because Cambodia still uses the ways of the Khmer Kingdom, while other south-east Asia countries were influenced by the Portuguese in the 16th century and began making food spicier with ingredients such as red chilies.  Cambodia stuck with the original recipes, and never gained a taste for the spicier foods.  Cambodians believe in allowing each individual to spice their own food to taste, so while the food is not served spicy, they will provide you with red chilies or spicy sauce.

Cambodia is well known for a fish paste that they use in their traditional dishes, it is called Prahok.  The Prahok recipe originated from the Cambodian’s attempting to preserve the fish during the winter.  They would crush, salt, and ferment the fish.  There are two major types of prahok; uncooked prahok and a mild prahok that is of higher quality.  Uncooked prahok is generally used by the Cambodians as a vegetable dip, while the higher quality of prahok is used in a majority of Cambodian recipes.

Another type of food Cambodians are known for is their curry.  Unlike its neighboring countries, Cambodian curry is relatively sweet.  The Khmer people use sweet potatoes to give their curry a rather sweet taste, rather than spicy.  Cambodians also use mkak seeds, which gives the curry its red color to make it appear as spicy.

Cambodians are very unique compared to other countries around south-east Asia, but yet extremely traditional.  This should not catch us off guard because the Khmer people are all around traditional folk, and they are always conserving their tradition through food, music, dancing, and their daily actions.