(Photos by Jerry Redfern)March 15, 2010
Karen Coates
The Faster Times
The soul of Khmer cuisine resides in a murky barrel of a potent, fishy paste that graces every meal—prahok . It’s the odiferous spice of Cambodia, the protein-packed punch of grandma’s soup and auntie’s curry. Just a little dab will do, thanks to the olfactory power of fermentation. It takes the country’s blazing sun, it’s muddy waters and the sweat of its people to lug and crush, salt and dry, heaps and piles of tiny fish, which then rot into potent distinction. Prahok is indeed the heart of a nation; its juices, the blood that keeps Cambodia running.
Why, then, are some Khmers shunning this heritage?
“Now I don’t like prahok anymore,” says Keo Touch, who goes by the name of “Toot” and runs a Battambang cooking school with his wife, Nuon Nary.
His statement catches me off guard, so I start asking questions. The answers, I realize, I have heard many times before.
“Now I am a towner, I am no longer a farmer,” he says. “Some people look down on you if you eat prahok , because if you eat prahok , you are a farmer, you are poor.”
I understand his concern. Poverty is a pestilence that Cambodians everywhere aim to escape. This is a countrified state, with 13.3 million people scattered among some 14,000 villages housing more than 80 percent of the population. Read the other way: only 20 percent of Cambodians live in a city. Of those, many have ended up on the urban scene because they lost land, got sick, needed money or suffered some heinous tragedy that left them no recourse. The average Cambodian earns less than $2 a day. Marginally few are the people like Toot, who built a thriving business after years of destitution.
Toot says the scent of prahok reminds them of the farm. And the farm is a place that offers no easy life. Plus, it comes with the added baggage of memory—every Cambodian spent 1975-1979 as a farmer under the genocidal Khmer Rouge. And every survivor harbors stories of slave-like labor, death and starvation. No surprise, people want to forget.
It’s as though Toot internalizes the acrid smell of prahok as a blemish on his character—untrue as that might be. “I am very ashamed if I tell about prahok to my students,” he says. “Because if I tell, and they smell, they run away.” Only if they ask do his recipes and market tours include prahok , that most fundamental of Cambodian ingredients. “Now I use shrimp paste. Shrimp paste is not very strong.”
Still, it’s Nary’s kitchen (she cooks while Toot peruses the market and chats up the students), so I ask her about prahok as she minces an almond butter-colored pad of the stuff. “Yeah,” she smiles, “I like.” No problem for her.
When I get to Phnom Penh—the throbbing capital of hustle, bustle and noise—I ask my longtime friend, Ke Monin, whether he can vouch for Toot’s ideas. “Yeah, sure,” he agrees. He is “100 percent sure,” if people have money, “they don’t want to eat prahok .” He says rich Khmers eat fish paste only once every few months. “When they don’t have money, they eat a lot.”
I ask one more source, the notable photographer Heng Sinith, a longtime friend and confidante. Sinith is the most knowledgeable Cambodian I know. He has Access with a capital A. He makes friends with everyone, singing karaoke with cops and shmoozing with bodyguards while taking his liver to the outer limits. Meanwhile, secrets emerge in the blur of inebriation.
Sinith doesn’t think Khmers willingly forgo the fish of their identity—least of all, he. “I really like real Khmer food,” he says. Nonetheless, he insists prahok will disappear as quickly as the fish in Cambodia’s ailing lakes and rivers (diminished fish stocks are a growing worry). “The people will never deny prahok ,” Sinith says, but “prahok will be finished because there are no more fish.”
And that is a story for another time.
-----
About Karen Coates
When she’s not crashing her bike or running up mountains in New Mexico, Karen Coates covers food, environment, science, health and social issues. She splits her time between the American Southwest and any other place in the world that interests her (particularly Southeast Asia). She’s Southeast Asia correspondent for Archaeology magazine and for five years was Asia correspondent for Gourmet until the magazine imploded in 2009. Her first book, Cambodia Now: Life in the Wake of War, won the August Derleth award for nonfiction. She’s also co-authored the memoirs of Sharon Sites Adams in Pacific Lady: The First Woman to Sail Solo across the World’s Largest Ocean. Karen and her husband, photojournalist Jerry Redfern, are at work on two forthcoming books: Eternal Harvest: The Legacy of American Bombs in Laos and This Way More Better, is a collection of travel essays from the back roads of Asia. Karen writes the award-winning food blog, Rambling Spoon.
Why, then, are some Khmers shunning this heritage?
“Now I don’t like prahok anymore,” says Keo Touch, who goes by the name of “Toot” and runs a Battambang cooking school with his wife, Nuon Nary.
His statement catches me off guard, so I start asking questions. The answers, I realize, I have heard many times before.
“Now I am a towner, I am no longer a farmer,” he says. “Some people look down on you if you eat prahok , because if you eat prahok , you are a farmer, you are poor.”
I understand his concern. Poverty is a pestilence that Cambodians everywhere aim to escape. This is a countrified state, with 13.3 million people scattered among some 14,000 villages housing more than 80 percent of the population. Read the other way: only 20 percent of Cambodians live in a city. Of those, many have ended up on the urban scene because they lost land, got sick, needed money or suffered some heinous tragedy that left them no recourse. The average Cambodian earns less than $2 a day. Marginally few are the people like Toot, who built a thriving business after years of destitution.
Toot says the scent of prahok reminds them of the farm. And the farm is a place that offers no easy life. Plus, it comes with the added baggage of memory—every Cambodian spent 1975-1979 as a farmer under the genocidal Khmer Rouge. And every survivor harbors stories of slave-like labor, death and starvation. No surprise, people want to forget.
It’s as though Toot internalizes the acrid smell of prahok as a blemish on his character—untrue as that might be. “I am very ashamed if I tell about prahok to my students,” he says. “Because if I tell, and they smell, they run away.” Only if they ask do his recipes and market tours include prahok , that most fundamental of Cambodian ingredients. “Now I use shrimp paste. Shrimp paste is not very strong.”
Still, it’s Nary’s kitchen (she cooks while Toot peruses the market and chats up the students), so I ask her about prahok as she minces an almond butter-colored pad of the stuff. “Yeah,” she smiles, “I like.” No problem for her.
When I get to Phnom Penh—the throbbing capital of hustle, bustle and noise—I ask my longtime friend, Ke Monin, whether he can vouch for Toot’s ideas. “Yeah, sure,” he agrees. He is “100 percent sure,” if people have money, “they don’t want to eat prahok .” He says rich Khmers eat fish paste only once every few months. “When they don’t have money, they eat a lot.”
I ask one more source, the notable photographer Heng Sinith, a longtime friend and confidante. Sinith is the most knowledgeable Cambodian I know. He has Access with a capital A. He makes friends with everyone, singing karaoke with cops and shmoozing with bodyguards while taking his liver to the outer limits. Meanwhile, secrets emerge in the blur of inebriation.
Sinith doesn’t think Khmers willingly forgo the fish of their identity—least of all, he. “I really like real Khmer food,” he says. Nonetheless, he insists prahok will disappear as quickly as the fish in Cambodia’s ailing lakes and rivers (diminished fish stocks are a growing worry). “The people will never deny prahok ,” Sinith says, but “prahok will be finished because there are no more fish.”
And that is a story for another time.
-----
About Karen Coates
When she’s not crashing her bike or running up mountains in New Mexico, Karen Coates covers food, environment, science, health and social issues. She splits her time between the American Southwest and any other place in the world that interests her (particularly Southeast Asia). She’s Southeast Asia correspondent for Archaeology magazine and for five years was Asia correspondent for Gourmet until the magazine imploded in 2009. Her first book, Cambodia Now: Life in the Wake of War, won the August Derleth award for nonfiction. She’s also co-authored the memoirs of Sharon Sites Adams in Pacific Lady: The First Woman to Sail Solo across the World’s Largest Ocean. Karen and her husband, photojournalist Jerry Redfern, are at work on two forthcoming books: Eternal Harvest: The Legacy of American Bombs in Laos and This Way More Better, is a collection of travel essays from the back roads of Asia. Karen writes the award-winning food blog, Rambling Spoon.
65 comments:
Its been said Prohok smells like hell but tasts like haven.
I don't eat "Prahok" anymore but I used anchovies as substitution. The art of making Prahok in Cambodia haven't change much because somehow Cambodian people know only one ingredient and this is salt and a lot of salt to make Prahok and of course somehow they haven't find way to illuminate the smell! In the Western world they make anchovies with a lot of salt and in olive oil and I think it is the olive oil that help control the smell. It is about time that Cambodian people should find new ways in making Prahok.
By the way if I want strong smell and taste like Prahok and I just add more anchovies.
fOOL 10:31pM enjoy the imitated one while you have maney!
But buy the way there are many kind of Prohok!and sele in very difference prices!
Prahok is good in some place like In Siem Riep, people knew how to make it good and tasty.
I like prahok and I am White.
ប្រហុកមានខ្លិនអាក្រក់ឬ ? មានប្រភេទវ្រ៉ូម៉ាមួយចំនួន
មានខ្លិនអាក្រក់លើសពីប្រហុកដប់ដងទៅទៀត ពោលគឺស្អុយដូចលាមកតែម្ដង !
តែពួកបារាំងនាំគ្នាបរិភោគបេញៗ មាត់ ។
ខ្មែរខ្លះប្រកាន់ឬក ដោយមិនស៊ីប្រហុក តែសូមកុំភ្លេចថា ដូនតាខ្មែរយើង បានរស់នៅធំធាត់តាំងពីសម័យអង្គរមក
គឺមានប្រហុកនេះហើយដែល
ជាអាហាប្រចាំថ្ងៃ។
To 10:31PM
There are many different kinds of Prahok? Oh really? It doesn't matter how you look at Prahok and it is still Prahok and it is smelly!ahahahahha
I don't look down Cambodian farmers even if I have alot money to spend on other things because I myself has root as a farmer during my childhood. So for me to look down on Cambodian farmer is to look down on my root and my past and myself who used to be a farmer! It is such as shame to hear how some Cambodian people become a Towner and now they deny their past as a farmer. Tell me if you don't know your past and how can you move forward in life? ahaha
In fact the Cambodian Towner should be thankful and grateful to Cambodian farmers for bring fruit, vegetable, rice, fish...and Prahok to the market at a reason price otherwise these so called Cambodian Towner would be dying of hunger! ahahhhah
This is natural behavior of human in wanting to be better than other otherwise human won't make any progress in any anything!
Yes,chocking in tap warter!!!!
it is crazy. Prahok for khmer is like fish sauce for vietnamese; chess for french; soy sauce for chinese; kapik for Thai; anchovy for Italian; spices for Indian; Kimchi for korean. don't forget your delicacy...
I love to eat prahok once a while. teung kroung and fresh vegetable. Yum Yum.
Prahok is testy but that's not good for healt.
It's made by decomposed fishes, most of people are not able to digest that ingredient properly.
khmer is like a condiment, you don't want to use too much of it. there's a khmer folklore on how prahok was invented by accident by a peasant or farmer's family in rural cambodia once upon a time. a noble man tour the countryside and tasted the family's cooking and liked it, thus, it was since introduced into the towns and cities across cambodia. anyway, people still eat and like prahok in cambodia, despite some folks thinks it's only farmers who liked it the most. prahok isn't bad, although, i think nowadays, they should modernize the way prahok is made because it looks disgusting how it is made, however, if khmer people modernize or improve how it is made, like many things, they get good business from prahok, really! people should focus on hygiene and sterility when making prahok. the smell, like fish sauce and some other pickled dished tend to make people, particularly western, judge it, however, the taste can be addictive to some. i think it is no different from the cheese sources in western society, it's the matter of how to modernize the production process is what people should strife to change, really! believe it or not, it is one of cambodia's well-known food items. of course, like any food, you should brush your teeth after eating anyway. nowadays, there are all kinds of mouth wash products out there, so use them, and do enjoy cambodia's prahok!
me, personally, i didn't care for prahok, however, i know a lot of people who liked it. yes, don't try to eat too much of it, though. it was meant to be used sparingly like salt, sugar, chili, etc... enjoy!
maybe they should pasteurize prahok like they do with milk to make cheese, etc... prahok is good business, you know!
Khmer farmers don't like prahok, they eat this to survive, that is a way to keep fish, they smoke fresh fish, they salt less fresh fish and they make prahok with decomposed fish.
Khmer farmers eat prahok because they have no choice, they can not aford to buy food.
there is nothing to be ashame of eating prahok, really! it's all in the attitude. food is food, just because someone don't like it, doesn't mean those who liked it shouldn't be eating it, you know! well, maybe people's attitude have changed, and they prefer other food items, etc... that's their choice, though. however, prahok will always be a favor to some people. if you look around, in almost every country on the planet, they have some kind of fermented food or fermented dishes as their food. it is naive to say otherwise. so, cambodia is no exception, really! food is food, and for your information, prahok isn't the only food in cambodia, though. let's not try to stigmitize it just because of its unfavorable fragrance, etc... study biology or microbiology, etc, you will understand why fermented food is good for your health, just not too much of it, though. leave prahok alone. it isn't that bad; it's all in the attitude and how it is made or prepared, really!
i bet someone can write a book about khmer prahok. it's interesting.
western society have all kind of cheese
korea have kimchee
chinese have fermented tofu
cambodia have prahok and teuk trey, pa-ok, etc...
yes, food is food!
I am Khmer refugee to America since 1981. At that time, we did not have prahok like Khmer community in Long Beach. When one of us got prahok from somewhere, either from Chicago market or from California, or from our relative sent to us from Cambodia - we would share with all our Khmer friends in Minnesota. We consider that as a luxuary food from our motherland and have a chance to eat Prahok.
Now when I go back to Cambodia - I met a lot of Khmer expatriat - when they got something special food such as French special chees, or Cherry from American - they are sharing among the expad-Khmer in Cambodia. This remind me kind of Khmer people from abroad being a refugee in their own country. I don't know how to make of this, but food is one of cultural identification that we expose too and part of our human nature to feel attached to it.
Khmer in America they eat Prahok because they are rich - they can afford to buy it :~))
Cheer to Prahok - Khmer should value to specialty that pass down from our parents:~)
From Koan Khmer
There's no need to be embarrassed about your country's ancient institution like prahok! This after all has been integral to the Khmer staple diet since time immemorial.
Most Khmer dishes would not taste as they are meant to without this basic ingredient: it gives them more aroma and richer flavour to reflect the richness of the land and the tropic itself.
I understand that ethnic Khmers in Thailand are discouraged from speaking Khmer language for fear of being thought of as 'peasants'.
What is wrong with being a peasant? Agriculture has been a feature of human civilisation for thousands of years, whereas 'urban' lifestyle of today has only been around for the last few hundred years, and even more recent a phenomenon in countries like Cambodia.
Khmers should embrace with pride things like this rather than trying to keep up with whatever in fashion in today's world increasingly dominated by western influences and tastes, which vary with cultures and the passage of time.
The odour of some tropical fruits like durian used to be thought of as pleasant by Europeans in the 19th century, and a favourite of England's queen Victoria. This is not so for their descendants today.
For the ethnic Khmers in Thailand or Kampuchea Krom and elsewhere, please be proud of your roots: they form a part of your identity and an expression of your past, present and future to come.
My country, my prahok!
មែនប្រហុកស្អុយអញ្ចឹងមែន ហើយហ្វូ្រម៉ា របស់បារាំងដែលស្អុយខ្លាំងជាងប្រហុកទៅទៀតនោះ វាមានដម្លៃថ្លៃជាងហ្វ្រូម៉ាធម្មតាមែន។
ដូច្នេះ បើយើងចូលចិត្តប្រហុក យើងកុំខ្លាចស្អុយអី។ ប៉ុន្តែ យើងគួរឆ្នៃ ឲ្យមានប្រហុកច្រើនយ៉ាង ដូចហ្វ្រូម៉ាឥញ្ចឹងវិញទៅ ដើម្បីឲ្យអ្នកដែលមិនចូលចិត្តស្អុយខ្លាំងនោះ ហូបបានផង។
I think I'm going to throw my stinking socks in the samlour next time wring them out-probably has the same flavor as prahok. Now I know your mouth is watering for my cooking.
Prohak is poor man's food but it has become a Khmer identity. I thinik it was meant to be used as flavour enhancer like beecheng. Used too much it can destroy the flavour, fishy( chha-ap). This is how I smell after many years not eating it, not because I hated but there was no prohok available at the time. Now I get used to having none in samlor khmer. I use fish sauce, chicken stock instead. Prohok ktis is still my liking though.
Yes, I agree we need to find a way of presenting the prohok as a modern Khmer food. I hate the scene of millions of flies roaming the rotten fish in the open hot fields with farmers jumping on it with barefoot.
GOT PRAHOK!
I don’t consider myself as poor. I can buy and eat whatever I want and cook whatever I want but still love Khmer Prohok. I ate French “foie gras”, sometime caviar and all kind of highly considered westerner foods but still top Khmer Prohok over all. Some cooking cant be done without Prohok. Prohok gives some kind of magic tasty that cant be find or replace by any other food. Cook taste differently with and without Prohok. I cant cook or eat some kind of cooks without Prohok because it doesn’t have same taste without Prohok.
People love it or don’t love it but Prohok cant replace by anything else. As someone says, there are white people foods or cheeses that smell worse than Prohok like died rat or khmaoch nhob but white people still enjoy it. Some part in French they ate a kind of cheese with worms (they eat alive worms with) inside it and that’s smell so terrible, thousands time worse than Prohok. If Prohok is well done by respecting all Khmer traditional methods, Prohok is a well safe and highly tasty food, source of protein. Prohok is already a cooked and sterile food by sale, sun and method of fermentation.
Am a big Fun of my Khmer PROHOK (not yuon or siam shit prohok.)and Khmer foods as well like somlor proheur, somlor kokor, nom banh chuk samlor khmer , mchou kreung ect ect. Just that I’m blissful and thankful for being born Khmer and experienced all these fantastic tastes. Yummy
I may add, just that, like said Socrates “Life merit to be lived” La vie merite d’être vécue as KHMER hahahahaha
And as Khmer ONLY
It's no problem, the people who love Prahok they still used it and the people who never eat Prahok they don't eat it. But in Cambodia the original khmer and some half-khmer still used Prahok. We just know what they like and it's not illegal for using Prahok.
I can smell a Cambodian 100 hundred feet away by what they like to eat.
Ha Ha Ha
Dear Karen and true cambodians,
In Angkor era,kingdom of cambodia had a vast irrigation system as well as natural lakes and rivers.
you can imagine that the kingdom had abundant of fishes,and not enough storage to keep them fresh.
They turned dead fish into rather than an ingredient,PRAHOK of so many recipes and many freshly cooked dishes varied from one area to another.Thus Siam Reap becomes a well known city to produce the best PRAHOK.
Another preserved fishes called P'ork,made of salted fresh or recently die into a readily and enjoyable meal,with quite a few recipes.
Simple salted fishes is another mean to maintain this high protein resource available at anytime until the season is availble.
This indicates that these are not because they were poor, but smart and very conservative NOT to deplete foods resources and environment.
For the sake of health knowledge, these are part of recipes of well balance diets of high protein and fresh green vegetable,reducing any fatty cholesteral diet, that extend life span of past
cambodians.
I humbly say that PRAHOK is part of smart khmer way of life,and NOT for the poors.
Neang SA
Neang sa, i agree with you about the history of prohok. well done.
6:38 AM
Thanks!
I have a few villas in Phnom Penh and hundred acres of land in the outskirt of Phnom Penh, nonetheless, I love prohok; I get it every chance I get.
Does anyone still I'm poor. Of course, it's poor taste to the majority of those who dislike prohok.
Love,
Prohok
live in U.S for almost 2 decade, still craves prahok. Like the smell too. But should wash up when you finish eating. heheh.
វាសំមុខហើយធ្វើអ្នកនយោបាយយួរៗទៅ
ជាប់គុកហើយរត់ចោលប្រជាជនទៀ
កុំភ្លេចថាមិនមែនសម័យលន់នល់ទេ
នរណាមួយចង់ធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសកម្ពុជាធ្លាក់ក្នុងរណ្តៅ
ម្តងទៀតនោះមិនបានទេគេដឹងក្រយៅរបស់បក្ស
ប្រឆាំងនៅកម្ពុជាហើយដោយមានបរទេសគាំទ្រនោះ។ហើយថែមទាំងនិយាយថារដ្ធាភិបាលរាល់
ថ្ងៃនៅក្រោមយួនក៏ប៉ុន្តេខ្លួនឯងសោះដែលនៅ
ក្រោមបញ្ជាររបស់បរទេសនោះ។
ម្នាក់ៗមិនស៊ីប្រហុកទេបែទៅជាស៊ីកណ្តួយទៅវិញ
គួរចង់សើចណាស់!
It is sad to see the couple think that way. Prahok is intricately apart of Cambodian tradition. I could not imagine it will disappear... As for the fish, it will not disappear from the face of the earth and sure will the Prahok.
Like myself, I never like cheese in the beginning but I'm a cheese lover and so will Prahok for foreigners given time. Please do not make fun of Prahook's smell. It is not a cause of ridicule.
Disappointed with these so called middle class people! Just because you own a restaurant, doesn't mean you're better than the farmers. Like it or not, Prahok is here to stay. If you Cambodian, please don't make fun of our heritage. We should be thankful for our farmers. They are hard workers, and because of them, we have rice and fresh vegetables.
Don't ever think that Prahok is only for poor people! I make a good living and still I eat Prahok once in awhile. Bravo, prahok!!!!!
Proud to be prahok eater!!! If you have issue with it, screw you!!! LOL
I don't have an issue with it I just loving having fun with this topic. By the way, you better go wash up 'cause you smell like...? Ha Ha Ha
Prahok is a good stocks of MENRALs such as Phosphorous, Calcium... plus protein for our body.
Good to know, a lot of people here are supporting Prahok. It stinks so badly if you don't know how to cook it properly. Again, there are different kinds of Prahok. The best one ever, is from Siem Raiep. In nom bung jok, it must have prahok in it.
Otherwise, it is not nom bung jok.
A lot of my white friends love eating raw prahok with steak. Um yummy! In the summer, we would have steak BBQ and dip with raw prahok. Here's the ingredients: chop the raw good prahok, with fresh hot chilly peppers (lots of them) garlic, trop, lime, and a little bit of salt. Good Steak, sirloin, cook on the grill, about medium rear, cut it in thin slices and dip into the chopped raw prahok. I promise you, once you try, you don't want to stop. Some of my white friends begged me to invite them when we have a cook out. So prahok, is it only for poor people? Steak , sirloin, salmon, etc.... Think about it!
i dont eat prohok , but all my family eat prohok, my family not poor not rich , i live in phnom penh
The "New Khmer Rich" whether they are in Cambodia or travel abroad, they like to say that, they don't eat Prahok (just want to distand themselves being a farmers!). And one other thing I found out about Khmer women, they like to mention that they don't know how to cook (just to show that they have a made at their home). While people in the West - they like to invite their friends over during the holidays and show-off their cooking (they take price in their ability know how to cook :~))
Just want to say that - no knowledge is useless or degrading of your status within the society. The more diverse knowledge you know, the better you are. So take price in what you know - event just know how to steam Prahok. Now I have to show off my self here - I know how to cook Khmer Prahok, do Cambodian classical dance, as well as Khmer folk dance. By the way, my friends know how well I can cook Khmer food - they have to make an appt. at least six months in advance and have to fly four hrs to eat my Khmer cook (one thing I told them is that when they eat my food, they have to smile, otherwise the food wouldn't tast good:~))
Cheer to Prahok community
Nutrition of Prahok made khmer ancesters develop physically and mentally enough to build a great angkorwat and widen territory till China border in the north, till sea in the south and till Malesia peninsular.
This couple either don't know how to make a good prahok or experience a bad one. They call themselves a culinary artist but limited themself to one of the most prestigious ingredient known to Khmer heritage. So sad!
Prahok, some likes to overpowering their food with it. I, on the other hand....just like a dap of it. Love it! Love it! Love it!
If I have my way, it should be a symbol side by side with our national flag. LOL!!!!
It's gold in the jar.
Prahok is an ingredient for AMOK, a delicious Khmer curry menu.
That couple had really insulted his own heritage! He said he uses shrimp paste (kapik) now instead of prahok. Have you smelled kapik before? It is not better than prahok, but because thai anything is a darling of the westerners, it must be good. Prahok is astaple, it is not about towner or a farmer.
But that was beside the point the writer tried to make - what bigger fish to fry is the fact that China's dam building is not good for SEA.
That's crazy and totally wrong to say that only the poor eat PRAHOK. PRAHOK is also a special incredient to make your food more delicious. PRAHOK is the KHMER cuisine heritage and it's not the food for the poor.
I am very frustrated and angry to the guy in this article “Now I am a towner, I am no longer a farmer,” he says. “Some people look down on you if you eat prahok , because if you eat prahok , you are a farmer, you are poor.” This guy consider himseft a rich and forgot PRAHOK that he ever eat. He doesn't eat any more not because of the PRAHOK is not delicious but because of he think that if he eat PRAHOK he will loss his credit as a rich.
I used to live in south eastern Iowa. Iowa is known for corn and hogs farming - boy does it stinks to heaven from the hog farms. Does Cambodia smell like that during prahok making season?
Rotten fish is use for fertilizer I can understand why prahok can be nutritious. Ha Ha Ha
prahok sach, prahok chha-oeng, prahok khtih, prahok chinhchram, prahok korb, prahok dot, prahok chamhoy, prahok trei prama, prahok krouerng, prahohok trei prai...,even i am far from my mother land and from you, i love you and always think of you. Nothing in japan can intead of you during my meals.,you are my ancester heritege.whenever i am alive i must protect you from being looked down by those who were not from originally khmer blood.from som kethyasey.
Time change and people change and so do the food people eat such as Prahok. Prahok is an acquire taste and soon if Cambodia to become a well developed country with more modern appliances such refrigerator and the problem of keeping the food longer is no longer a problem and Prahok will die out and disappear all together!
Ancient Cambodian people create Prahok is to solve the food storage problem.
yes, it is very interesting to read everyone's opinion about prahok. yes, prahok has been with khmer since time millenium. it was probably due to abundant of fish source in both ancient and modern cambodia. plus, they be preserved longer too when make into prahok. yes, there are variety of prahok dishes; they all are good. and the mentality that only poor people eat prahok is so outdated. i know millionaires who eat prahok. so whoever assumed that only poor, farmer, peasants, or whatever like to eat prahok is behind time and so outdated in their thinking. people should judge prahok and who eats it. food is food. and we know that prahok was originated in ancient cambodia and believe it or not, it has spread to other countries all over the world. however, khmer prahok is still the best one out there. and in cambodia, depends on the region rich with fish, etc, local people can make the best prahok in the world in cambodia. so, when in cambodia, ask around to find out where the best prahok is made, and i'm sure khmer people can tell you. god bless cambodia.
IF PRAHOK IS MADE IN USA I AM SURE IT WILL BE SENT TO THE MOON.
DON'T BE SILLY, CRAZY AND SHIT TO THINK THAT TO ABANDON YOUR OWN CULTURE AND CUSTOM AND KEEN TO ACCEPT THE NEW ONE FROM OUTSIDE.
THE PRODUCT FORM THE POOR IS NOT ALWAYS BAD.DON'T LOWER YOUR CREDIT BECAUSE OF YOU ARE POOR.
THE POOR EAT PRAHOK IS MORE WORTHER THAN THE RICH EAT PIZZA BUT COMMITED THE CORRUPTION
"Prohok" is Cambodian "Cheddar."
War is peace
Google "GASTRIC LIVER CANCER FLUKE PRESERVED FISH" you will come across research done in thailand on the topic. Used to love my prahok minced with pork until i read some of the findings.
9;27, I think I love you.
There is risk to eating any food. Even eating burgers or fast food just three times a week has been proven to be bad for you, raising cholesterol level, increase risk of hypertensions, diabetes, obesity, and heart problem.
yet many people eat fries, burgers, and still attend to fast foods.
Eating Khmer prahok isn't anymore dangerous than eating the American burger or hot-dog that is made up various animal products and deep-fried in great amount of fats, processed with artificial chemical preservatives and salted also to extremely high concentration.
Your best bet to stay healthy from food paranoia is to go veggie. Eat only fruits and vegetables.
Good luck on your new endeavor.
Hay 1:20 pm,
From 9:27
Anonymous said...
"9;27, I think I love you."-why are you love me - is it because I know how to steam Prahok? You should have read the whole thing first - when my friends come to eat my food - they have to smile, otherwise the food wouldn't tast good --do you believe this!(event my food is bad - still have to smile:~)) Anyway, just want to show off myself on what I can do. I know that people like to talk about what they cannot do - I just want to change. I want to bring the best out of people because I know that each of us can do so much whether for our family, community or our nation, but we spend so much time on what we don't know and spend less time of what we know.
Ok prahok blogging friends - that let share with us what kind of food you can cook, dance to khmer music, and or do some khmer folk dance. Khmer New year is very close -- it is time for us to show our talent :~~))
cheer to 1:20pm
Prahok is our identities and has alot of protein. couple of times I bought the prahok at the market and I met someone that I know . He asked me " you eat Prahok?" then I replied to them " I am KHMER".
Prahok is something for us to test our system from time to time. So we don't get sick as much from bacterial infection like most people do in Europe. We just don't know it. Does Cambodian have chronic allegery? Your kidding!:), but time has change. River dried up and not fish. People had moved on to the city and some place else that rotten and smelly stuff are not welcome. So before you and I know it, prahok will be gone just like it had described in this article. One thing we should never forget, is our ancsestors' memory. They may not able to invent anything to preserve those fishes like it would with refrigerator or freezer, but they do know best and there is nothing better and cheaper than the ULTRA VIOLET from the Sun. Sits under it long enough, it will kill everything and it's free! Asia has the mightiest and the hottest Sun which shining almost all day long and second only to Africa continent. What are you going to do with it? Well, at least it can help them preserved fish to last long enough from season to season and that is our wonderful and tastefully prahok. You do it right. You and I can eat it like there is no tomorrow :) Guess what ? if prahok is to be gone, then there is phorc and mamm and trey prei, yet. If you like it, there is no God that can stop you from eating them. Just please be understanding that it's for our own good only and that is to eat it and think of it as vacine in the form of food and that you will refrain from eating it when you have a hot date! :) or in a crowd of stranger. Why? because they don't understand it and yes, to our humble self admitting, it deosn't smell pretty :(
Ordinary Khmer
from 7:52pm
Oops, if there is a law to stop us from making it. Then that will be it, but please ask people in Siem Reap first. They know best about Prahok.
OK
it's ok to like prahok. of course, like with all food you eat, you must have good habit of always brush your teeth after anyway. so, no more excuses for the smell or whatever! don't be lazy to take care of yourself, ok! nowadays, there are many kind of products to freshen your mouth, so, take advantage of it, and by all mean, do eat everything you enjoy, moderation is the key, though. enjoy life, really!
Can anybody imagine Khmer Dishes without Prahok??? That wouldnt be Khmer would it??? It is the most important ingredient in Khmer food. You name it... Maju Kreung, KaKo, Maju Srae, Samlor Prahaer, Teuk Kreung, Nom Banjjok, Samlor Khtih... and for Khmer in Australia Teuk Prahok dip is the best lamb spit apart from using on a every day Khmer cooking..
Prahok= Khmer
Khmer=Prahok
Be proud of it..
Eat prahok and KOSS KYAL or JAB KYOL :)
I may say, you can eat pizza without cheese but CANT cook or eat Khmer food without prohok, for the sake of TASTE,I know what I say
Prohok can be born from a genial idea of fish conditioning or reservation but you have millions ways to reserve food/fish while you have sun and sale. It is first of all A CULTURE OF FOOD. All it leaks in Khmer food is some fine (food) art and poetic
Good eater and not only Prohak but Prohok is BEST hahahaha,
I meant "conservation" not reservation
i can understand that our farmers need a cheap source of protein and our Prahok has been footing the bill since time immemorial. HOWEver when khmers in the US, France etc,.. continue to import prahok made with fish from Tonle Sarp, it's gonna ruin the fisheries and make it unaffordable for poor people in Cambodia. So wise up, guys in the US, learn to make your own Prahok from trey andeng over there.
Prahok is something that Khmer people contribute to the world culinary heritage. Being a German citizen born in Vietnam, I love it and can't leave this country without enjoying Prahok, everytime I am in Cambodia. I could somehow understand this "towner" (even though I don't agree with him), he should be in Cambodia. Let's talk about it one day again, when he leaves in another country, where Prahok turns to be a luxury.
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