Prahok
Prahok ( Khmer : ប្រហុក ) is a fish paste made from crushed, salted and fermented fish . In Cambodian cuisine it is used as a seasoning or seasoning sauce . The manufacturing process originally emerged as a method of preserving fish in order to be able to store it over the months when there was no fresh fish to be had. Due to its high salt content and strong taste, the paste is served as an additive to many meals in Cambodian cuisine, such as soups . Prahok has a strong, distinctive odor that has earned it the name "Cambodian cheese". Prahok is usually eaten with rice , especially in rural or poor areas, and is almost identical to Pla Raa, which is common in Laos and Isan . Because it is easy to store and stays fresh for a long time, it is often given out by aid organizations as emergency ration to victims of floods or droughts.
Even if prahok is a dish invented by the Khmer , there was a comparable seasoning sauce called garum in ancient Rome . But even today there are still comparable dishes in Europe, such as pissalat from France .
The making of prahok
Prahok is made from fresh fish. Usually, the larger the fish used, the more valuable the end product. Prahok, which is made from rarer varieties, is considered an expensive delicacy. Cheaper varieties are obtained from threadfish , for example .
To make prahok, fresh fish must first be scaled, gutted and cleaned, then crushed or ground up. This is done either traditionally, by stamping the fish with the feet or, more recently, using a machine. After the fish is chopped up, it is exposed to the sun for a day, then salted and finally sealed in jars with salt.
Prahok must be fermented for at least 20 days, but higher quality ones are often stored for up to three years.
Types of prahok
Fried prahok
Prahok jieng (Khmer: ប្រហុក ចៀន ) This type of preparation of prahok is the most popular. The prahok is mostly eaten with meat (especially pork and beef) and chillies . But it can also be consumed in combination with dips , vegetables such as cucumber or eggplant , and rice.
Covered prahok
Prahok gop In this type of preparation, the prahok is covered with banana leaves and cooked under a layer of stones on which a fire is lit.
Raw prahok
Prahok chow (Khmer: ប្រហុក ឆៅ ) This type of prahok is well suited to be mixed with lemongrass , lime juice , fresh chilies and aubergines to make a seasoning paste that is often eaten with steaks. But it is also suitable as a dip for vegetables or fruits.
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- ↑ Star Chefs Five main Cambodian ingredients. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
Web links
- ThingsAsian.com - Got fish? It's Prahok season in Cambodia article. (English)