Month: April 2015
Poat Dot (Cambodian Barbecued Corn)
Shianoukville is a idyllic coastal town in the south west of Cambodia. The town was named after the popular monarch and political figure Norodom Shianouk. Like many of the similar towns I have visited, the proximity to the ocean meant that a lot of the activities were water-based including a highly enjoyable boat trip to a remote island, where we relaxed in the crystal clears waters, sunbathed on the beach and snorkled above forests of coral and schools of colourful fish.
The majority of the foods we enjoyed were prepared over a smoking hot charcoal barbecue, which added to the laid back vibe of the location. Various meats and seafoods were prepared in this way using a subtley spicy, smokey and sweet marinade that had much in common with the western marinades we use. More interesting however was the popular streetfood Poat Dot – a griddled corn cob basted in a richly aromatic and salty sauce, which burnishes slightly when cooked, adding a delicious contrast to the moist sweet kernels. I have chosen to tailor this recipe to be cooked indoors (at any time of year) using a cast iron griddle pan. Alternatively these can be cooked over a charcoal or gas barbecue in the traditional Cambodian way.
Level: low
Methods: griddling/barbecuing
Skills: reduced basting sauce
Time: 25 minutes
Makes: 6 cobs
Ingredients
6 ears corn, husks removed
2tbsp vegetable oil
2tbsp fish sauce
2tbsp water
2tsp salt
2tbsp coconut milk
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Method
1. Preheat an ungreased cast-iron griddle pan over a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together the fish sauce, water, sugar and salt until it is dissolved.
3. Heat the 2tbsp of oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Pour the liquid mixture in – watch out it may spit!
4. Add the spring onions, garlic and coconut cream. Simmer until it has started to thicken, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
5. Place the corn cobs in the griddle pan and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until the kernels are tender and starting to char. This takes about ten minutes.
6. Baste the corn with some of the sauce and continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat, baste one last time and sprinkle over some fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley. Serve.
Destination #45 / Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Amok Fish
The Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh was next on the itinerary. A city of high contrast – I witnessed the grandiose splendour of the Grand Palace as well as the dirty, rough and tumble of the night markets. But for me Phnom Penh will only be about one thing. A day spent investigating the Khmer Rouge, including a trip to the killing fields and S-21 prison. The things I learnt that day would make for a chillingly haunting anecdote, even among best friends, so writing of it here on a food blog seems somehow inappropriate. However I was fortunate enough to meet an elderly gentleman, who was one of just seven people (out of 20,000 inmates) to leave S-21 alive and survive the hideous atrocities committed there. Meeting that man I was struck by his immense bravery at returning to the site where he was tortured every day, in order to make a living and educate visitors. His warm, contented smile reminded me of the indomitable nature of the human spirit. And while hard to process that is a story everyone should hear.
After that experience, it was understandable than many of us just wanted to relax. We visited a local restaurant where I ate a great many delightful foods. My favourite was the Fish Amok. Amok is a classic Khmer dish; a pale, delicately aromatic, lightly citrusy curry. What makes amok different to the other curries I have posted, is the addition of egg. In some regions of Cambodia, several eggs are added and the resulting curry steamed in banana leaves to produce a set mousse like texture. Here though I have added only one egg, which helps to thicken and enrich the sauce, without causing it to coagulate fully. Serve the amok with rice on the side and a sprinkling of julienned red bell pepper, chilli or kaffir lime leaf.
Level: medium
Skills: curry paste
Time: 40 minutes
Makes: Serves 2 hungry people
Ingredients
Curry Paste:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
3 stalks lemongrass, ends trimmed, finely chopped
½ inch piece galangal, finely chopped
1 red birds eye chilli, seeds removed
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1tsp tumeric powder
1tsp light brown sugar, packed
1tsp salt
Amok:
1tbsp vegetable oil
½tsp shrimp paste (optional)
210g coconut milk, well blended
1tbsp white sugar
1tsp salt
300g deboned mild white fish – like halibut or cod, skin removed
75g fresh spinach leaves, cut into ribbons
1 egg
1tbsp fish sauce
Method
1. Make the curry paste with a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
2. Start by pulverising the garlic, shallot, lemongrass, galangal, chilli and lime leaves into a smooth paste.
3. Add the turmeric, sugar and salt. Combine well.
4. Thinly slice the fish into ½-inch thick bite size pieces and set aside.
5. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat.
6. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add the shrimp paste, coconut milk, sugar and salt, whisking to combine.
8. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally.
9. Add the fish and spinach leaves, gently folding the fish into the curry sauce with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
10. Allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Turn the heat off.
11. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of the curry sauce from the pan.
12. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and gently fold it into the curry. This thickens and enriches the sauce.
13. Serve the amok immediately with rice and a garnish of red pepper.
Destination #44 / Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Beef Lok Lak
Siem Reap is a beautiful city in northwestern Cambodia, the center of the Khmer region and my first stop after departing Thailand. From the 9th to 15th century, the Khmer Empire built the temples that are now known as the ruins of Angkor. On the first full day in Cambodia, my travel companions and I arose at 4.30am in order to make it to the main temple of Angkor Wat for sunrise. Although a decidedly “touristy” thing to do, the silhouette of the temple, cast against the peach-hombre sky, will stay emblazoned on my mind for some time to come.
Siem Reap also afforded me my first taste of Cambodian cuisine, known colloquially as Khmer food. The cuisine has much in common with other southeast Asian countries and is based primarily on rice, pork, chicken and some beef as well as fish, prawns and even frogs. Coconuts, limes, palm sugar, black pepper, lemongrass, garlic, shallots and chillies provide fragrance and depth of flavour. One of the most readily available dishes of the region, which can be found in restaurants as well as in the home, is Lok Lak. A simple stir fried meat dish, it is served over a salad with a typical lime pepper dressing. This is a great introduction to Khmer cooking as all of the ingredients are readily available at home.
I have adapted the recipe slightly, as I tend not to like hot salads, as the vegetables often wilt and lose their customary crunch. Instead I am simply serving the Lok Lak, slightly cooled, in a hardier gem lettuce leaf cup. This can then be dipped into the lime pepper sauce before being gobbled up. Use your own favourite cut of beef, but remember it is being cooked quickly and must be tender, so a sirloin or something similar works best.
Level: easy
Skills: marinade, stir-frying
Time: 40 minutes
Makes: Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
Stir fry:
400g beef, cut into small cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1tsp sugar
1tbsp oyster sauce
1tsp black pepper
3tbsp soy sauce
100-120ml water
1tbsp sugar
1tsp cornflour
Pinch salt
Oil to fry
Lime Pepper Sauce:
4tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
2tbsp water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1tsp sugar
1tsp fish sauce
1tsp freshly crushed black pepper
1 birds eye chilli, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
To serve:
Approx 12 gem lettuce leaves
A small bunch coriander
1 spring onion, sliced
Method
1. Mix together the beef, garlic, sugar, oyster sauce and black pepper. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Mix the lime pepper sauce ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
3. Blend the soy sauce, water, sugar and cornflour together.
4. Arrange the gem lettuce leaves on a large platter.
5. In a frying pan, over a high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When smoking hot, add the beef and quickly stir fry about 30 seconds.
6. Add the soy sauce mixture and allow to boil and reduce to a thick sauce, about 1-2 mins.
7. Spoon some of the beef into each lettuce leaf cup and drizzle over some sauce. Top with fresh coriander and the spring onion.
8. Serve immediately with a bowl of lime pepper sauce for dipping.
Destination #43 / Siem Reap, Cambodia
Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
Bangkok was my next destination and was equally full of culture and architectural beauty; the reclining Buddha and the Grand Palace particularly stand out. But unlike Chiang Mai, which operated at a relatively sedate pace, my 48 hours in Bangkok was frantic. For this reason, I did what the locals do and enjoyed the majority of my food on the go, enjoying the best of Thai street food.
Sweet Chilli Sauce has become a popular condiment the world over, but in Bangkok it is served with everything. Like most things however, the best versions are always freshly made. I have recently posted a run of recipes that are fairly time consuming and include ingredients that may not always be easily available, so for this entry I am posting something that ticks all the boxes: cheap, quick, easy and a real crowd-pleaser.
This recipe produces just less than a jar full of sauce, so enjoy it while it lasts. For those who want to consume more slowly, the vinegar and sugar ensure that it can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks in an air tight container.
Level: low
Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 1 small jar
Ingredients
60ml water
60ml white vinegar
100g caster sugar
1/4tsp salt
2 standard red chillis, deseeded
2 red birds eye chillis with seeds
Method
1. Chop the chillies finely.
2. Add to a small saucepan with the other ingredients and stir.
3. Bring to the boil, then immeadiately reduce to a low temperature and cook for 20 minutes until thickened.
Destination #42 / Bagkok, Thailand
Khao Soi Gai (Curry Noodle Soup)
From Malaysia it was on to Thailand and my first stop of Chiang Mai. My itinerary for South East Asia is generally pretty open and so I came here on the recommendation of many of my travelling buddies. My friends give good advice…
Chiang Mai is a beautiful and culturally important spot in northern Thailand. Whilst there I visited many of the outrageously decorated temples, that somehow manage to look beautiful when really they should appear gauche. I also made a trip to an elephant retirement park. The work these guys do is so important in helping to protect these majestic creatures. At the park we fed, massaged and cleaned the elephants, it was a real privilege and the work is both sustainable and ethical. I won’t lecture too much here, but riding elephants is not cool – do your research!
Of the many delicious local delicacies I tried, one stood out for not only being unique to the region but also being something new to me. Khao Soi, is a beautifully rich, spicy and aromatic curry soup served over tender poached chicken and noodles. The tradition of serving crunchy fried noodles on top is a must if you want to emulate the whole gamut of textures as well as flavours. While we enjoyed this for breakfast, I can confidently say that this meal could be enjoyed at any time and is great for a dinner party, where you can make the curry north ahead of time.
Level: medium
Skills: curry paste, deep frying
Time: 2 hours (including 1 hour cooking time)
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 whole red birds eye chilli
2 small shallots, peeled
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped
1 lime, zest only
2cm fresh turmeric, roughly chopped
2cm fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2tbsp chopped coriander stalks (save the leaves for garnish or use in another recipe)
1tsp coriander seeds
1 green cardamom, seeds only
1tsp fish sauce
100ml vegetable oil
300g egg noodles, cooked and cooled
1x 420g can coconut milk
500ml low-sodium chicken stock
2tbsp palm sugar (light soft brown sugar is a suitable substitue)
460g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1tsp fish sauce
Sliced shallots, lime wedges and beansprouts for serving
Method
1. Place the chilli, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, lime zest, turmeric, ginger, coriander stalks, coriander seeds and cardamom seeds in the center of a 20-20cm square of strong foil. Gather the edges together to make a tight pouch.
2. Place the pouch directly over the low flame of a gas hob and heat for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally. If using an electric hob, place the pouch in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the aromatics to a blender, along with the salt and fish sauce. Blitz to a fine paste.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan, until shimmering. Seperate out around 100g of the noodles and fry them in batches. Keep them moving with a slotted spoon and remove to a paper towel lined plate when golden and crisp.
5. Discard all but 1tbsp of the oil. Skim the cream off the top of the coconut milk and add to the pan along with the curry paste. Cook for about 2 minutes until aromatic and the oil separates.
6. Slowly add the remains of the coconut milk stirring all the time, followed by the chicken stock and sugar.
7. Add the chicken thighs and adjust temperature to a very gentle simmer (any hotter and the coconut can split).
8. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
9. Divide the remaining cooked noodles between each bowl. Then add a poached chicken thigh and ladle over the curry broth.
10. Top with the crispy fried noodles and a selection of garnishes.
Mastication / Destination 