Cambodian

Khmer cooking, gentler and more herbal than its Thai and Vietnamese neighbours. Kroeung, a paste of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, turmeric and shallot, sits behind every meal. Coconut milk, palm sugar, prahok (fermented fish paste) and a long list of fresh herbs (mint, basil, rice paddy herb) round out the seasoning. Steaming inside banana leaves, soured soups (samlor machu) and grilled fish are characteristic; the curries are perfumed rather than fiery.

4 recipes

Amok Trey

Cambodia's national dish, the centrepiece of any Khmer feast and the proper-occasion food across the country. You start by pounding kroeung fresh in a mortar (the paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime zest and coriander root that defines Khmer cooking, and that no shop-bought paste comes close to matching). The kroeung fries briefly to bloom its aromatics, coconut cream and stock loosen it, and eggs whisk in to set the eventual custard. Chunks of firm white fish fold through with chopped greens (traditionally noni leaves, with spinach or chard standing in), and the whole mix spoons into banana-leaf cups (or small ramekins). Twenty minutes in a steamer turns the custard just-set around the soft fish, and the banana leaves perfume everything. Served from the parcels with steamed rice and a wedge of lime.

55 minutes Serves4

Chruok

A Cambodian quick-pickle, the bright sharp counter that turns up on every Khmer table next to grilled meats and rich curries. You julienne daikon, carrot and cucumber thin so the brine penetrates fast, then salt them briefly in a colander to draw the water out. The brine is sweet-sour: lime juice, white vinegar, palm sugar, fish sauce (or soy for a vegetarian version) and a sliced bird's-eye chilli. Pour it over the drained vegetables and leave to sit at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate. Ready in an hour, better after three, best the next day. Eaten alongside grilled fish or chicken, piled into a bowl of rice with anything saucy, or tucked into a sandwich.

1 hour 15 minutes Serves4

Nhom Trav

A Cambodian banana flower salad, the kind of bright herby starter that opens a Khmer meal. You slice banana flower thin and submerge it immediately in lemon water to stop the browning (banana flower oxidises within seconds of cutting, going from pale ivory to brown). Tofu cubes (or shredded chicken in the non-vegetarian version) join for substance. Peanuts toast in a dry pan; shallots fry crisp in oil. The dressing is lime, palm sugar, soy and chilli pounded together in a mortar, and everything tosses with fresh herbs at the last minute - mint, coriander, Thai basil, whatever is around. Eaten as a starter or alongside grilled meat, the bitter floral note of the banana flower balanced by the salty-sweet dressing and the crunch of peanuts.

30 minutes Serves4

Sangkhya Lapov

The Khmer New Year dessert, a pumpkin custard steamed inside a whole pumpkin and sliced at the table into wedges so layered pumpkin and custard come together in every bite. You start with a small kabocha or buttercup pumpkin, cut the top off (keep it for replacement), and scoop the seeds out to make a hollow vessel. A custard of coconut milk, palm sugar, eggs and a pinch of salt fills the cavity. The top replaces and the whole pumpkin sits in a steamer over boiling water for about an hour, until the custard has just set and the pumpkin flesh has gone tender enough to spoon. Cool slightly, slice into wedges, and serve with the custard quivering against the pale orange pumpkin. A celebration dish across Cambodia for weddings and New Year, gentle, fragrant, faintly floral from the palm sugar.

1 hour 35 minutes Serves6-8