Is amok the ' national dish' of Cambodia?
Is amok the ' national dish' of Cambodia?
As I haven't engaged in any recent mudslinging with my traditional internet foes recently, and as I'm a petulant twat, I'm currently engaged in a heated argument with God botherers on whether amok is the national dish of Cambodia.
I've been around a while and travelled the length and breadth. As a penniless peasant, I've eaten in many a Cambodian restaurant, and outside of the tourist areas have never (to my recollection) seen amok on a menu.
I was always of the understanding that it was a French colonial dish made because, although the frogs will eat most things, they draw a line at fermented fish paste, although I might be wrong on that.
As a case survey, I asked a dozen Cambodian staff this morning if they eat it at home, or outside, 6 said ' no, never' and the other 6 needed to see a picture on google to understand what it is, then said they didn't eat it anyway, but ' look delicious'.
Would you agree or disagree on this choice of national cuisine? I think they've got their facts from Asia lifestyle cooking websites marketing tourists.
I've been around a while and travelled the length and breadth. As a penniless peasant, I've eaten in many a Cambodian restaurant, and outside of the tourist areas have never (to my recollection) seen amok on a menu.
I was always of the understanding that it was a French colonial dish made because, although the frogs will eat most things, they draw a line at fermented fish paste, although I might be wrong on that.
As a case survey, I asked a dozen Cambodian staff this morning if they eat it at home, or outside, 6 said ' no, never' and the other 6 needed to see a picture on google to understand what it is, then said they didn't eat it anyway, but ' look delicious'.
Would you agree or disagree on this choice of national cuisine? I think they've got their facts from Asia lifestyle cooking websites marketing tourists.
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Amok is not the national dish, I would say you are looking at either Nom banh chok, bai sach chrouk or Samlor Kako have a greater claim. I think you are correct that it is only sold in tourist areas (and often not cooked properly as it takes 40 mins steaming to get it exactly right ).
Interesting that god-bothering Christians are only 1%. How much money has been pumped in by proselytising western institutions to try to indoctrinate Khmers into Christianity and yet barely a dent after all these years.
Interesting that god-bothering Christians are only 1%. How much money has been pumped in by proselytising western institutions to try to indoctrinate Khmers into Christianity and yet barely a dent after all these years.
Wouldn't say it's THE national dish, but it's not that rare. I remember being told it was a 'royal dish', and usually only eaten around festival times. My wife cooks it every now and then, the liquid curry style, not the steamed mousse version.
Also wrong:
Dankrek, not Dankret
Also wrong:
Dankrek, not Dankret
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Most common dishes I see:
- noodle soup
- rice and pork
- nom banh chok
- banh chauv
Even beef Loklak is much more common than Amok.
The most popular dish I think probably would be Somlaw M’Jou.
- noodle soup
- rice and pork
- nom banh chok
- banh chauv
Even beef Loklak is much more common than Amok.
The most popular dish I think probably would be Somlaw M’Jou.
Lok lak, or a variant, is sold in most non-specific (ie only noodles etc) khmer places I've eaten.
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My Missus cooks Ha Mok (sp?) at home. She learned it from her mother, someone who certainly never set foot in a touristy area and there weren't many tourists in the refugee camps either.
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Anyway, like I was sayin', prahok is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's uh, prahok-kebabs, prahok creole, prahok gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple prahok, lemon prahok, coconut prahok, pepper prahok, prahok soup, prahok stew, prahok salad, prahok and potatoes, prahok burger, prahok sandwich. That- that's about it.
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More like fruit of the polluted riverAlexandra wrote:Anyway, like I was sayin', prahok is the fruit of the sea. .
A 'National dish' isn't the dish most eaten anyway, it's more what people regard as the highlight of the country's food culture or what would be traditionally eaten during important cultural events.
There's nothing particularly remarkable about pork and rice besides it's price, nor rat balls and mama noodle flavour sachets AKA "Kuy Teav Phnom Penh". Num ban chok and is awful, imo, but closer to a national dish that those two.
As an example, roast lamb is considered the national dish of Australia, followed closely by meat pies and sausages in bread. None of which I'd eat even close to daily, but they would be eaten around a tradition - a Sunday lunch for a roast, at the footy or after getting on the piss for a pie, a saturday bbq for a sausage in bread.
Tagine and cous cous for Morocco, Bacalhau in Portugal, Poutine for Canada, Nasi Lemak or satay for Malaysia, etc.
There's nothing particularly remarkable about pork and rice besides it's price, nor rat balls and mama noodle flavour sachets AKA "Kuy Teav Phnom Penh". Num ban chok and is awful, imo, but closer to a national dish that those two.
As an example, roast lamb is considered the national dish of Australia, followed closely by meat pies and sausages in bread. None of which I'd eat even close to daily, but they would be eaten around a tradition - a Sunday lunch for a roast, at the footy or after getting on the piss for a pie, a saturday bbq for a sausage in bread.
Tagine and cous cous for Morocco, Bacalhau in Portugal, Poutine for Canada, Nasi Lemak or satay for Malaysia, etc.
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Good point. Sauerbraten in Germany is as close to a national dish as it gets, but I suspect most Germans might eat that once or twice a tear; if that.epidemiks wrote:A 'National dish' isn't the dish most eaten anyway, it's more what people regard as the highlight of the country's food culture or what would be traditionally eaten during important cultural events.
There's nothing particularly remarkable about pork and rice besides it's price, nor rat balls and mama noodle flavour sachets AKA "Kuy Teav Phnom Penh". Num ban chok and is awful, imo, but closer to a national dish that those two.
As an example, roast lamb is considered the national dish of Australia, followed closely by meat pies and sausages in bread. None of which I'd eat even close to daily, but they would be eaten around a tradition - a Sunday lunch for a roast, at the footy or after getting on the piss for a pie, a saturday bbq for a sausage in bread.
Tagine and cous cous for Morocco, Bacalhau in Portugal, Poutine for Canada, Nasi Lemak or satay for Malaysia, etc.
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Yeah I agree with this.epidemiks wrote:A 'National dish' isn't the dish most eaten anyway, it's more what people regard as the highlight of the country's food culture or what would be traditionally eaten during important cultural events.
There's nothing particularly remarkable about pork and rice besides it's price, nor rat balls and mama noodle flavour sachets AKA "Kuy Teav Phnom Penh". Num ban chok and is awful, imo, but closer to a national dish that those two.
As an example, roast lamb is considered the national dish of Australia, followed closely by meat pies and sausages in bread. None of which I'd eat even close to daily, but they would be eaten around a tradition - a Sunday lunch for a roast, at the footy or after getting on the piss for a pie, a saturday bbq for a sausage in bread.
Tagine and cous cous for Morocco, Bacalhau in Portugal, Poutine for Canada, Nasi Lemak or satay for Malaysia, etc.
Thinking of Cambodia, the flavours that reminds me of the country would probably be amok, lok lak and maybe weirdly, stuffed frogs.
Amok could well be considered a/the national dish.
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Thanks Bubba. You forgot popcorn prahok.Alexandra wrote:Anyway, like I was sayin', prahok is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's uh, prahok-kebabs, prahok creole, prahok gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple prahok, lemon prahok, coconut prahok, pepper prahok, prahok soup, prahok stew, prahok salad, prahok and potatoes, prahok burger, prahok sandwich. That- that's about it.
I completely agree with your original post Pedro's.
I'm not a negative person, I encourage people all the time...it's usually to f**k off! But, whatever.
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Hamok is sold everywhere on stalls in Thailand. I always assumed it was more muslim what with the chillies and coconut milk.
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