Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Flavours that change with the seasons

Flavours that change with the seasons

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Roast freshwater lobster with crushed tamarind and basil, a seasonal favourite. Moeun Nhean

Flavours that change with the seasons

Cambodians traditionally adjust their diets and recipes to capture the freshest and tastiest seasonal ingredients the country has to offer.

Since ancient times Cambodians have paid close attention to the seasons, varying the ingredients of their cuisine according to availability and weather. The practice continues today, giving Khmer cuisine what Him Vibolphal, head of the cultural development department at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, describes as a unique and dynamic flavour.

“The varying of ingredients in recipes has made the tastes of Khmer food both delicious and unique,” he explains.

While sour soup can be found year-round on menus in restaurants throughout the country, its various incarnations were traditionally prepared according to the season. In the past, m’jou ompil, a sour soup made with young tamarind leaves, was only prepared during the early rainy season – from April to August – because the sour flavour of the tamarind leaves best complemented the freshwater fish available at that time of year.

But following the end of the rainy season, from November to April, Cambodian families would prepare m’jou slek tneung, a sour soup made from leaves of a flowering vine that grows wild in the forest.

“They use the leaves of slek tneung, which is a very special ingredient, during the period after rainy season ends because during that time the tneung plants grow well in the natural forest and their leaves remain firm and not soggy,” explains Tem Khem, a chef from Ta Khmao.

“That is when it is fresh and sour in a very delicious way, and suitable with any kind of meat as well as fish.”

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
A bitter salad, typically served during the windy season. Moeun Nhean

Temperatures start to rise after the rainy season, but a refreshing breeze usually keeps the mercury in check from January to March. By this time the freshwater fish used to prepare m’jou ompil have grown big and fat, and are eaten with seasonal sauces and the seeds of a flowering neem tree.

“If Cambodians want to eat delicious bitter food such as fresh salad greens with spicy sauce or a tasty sweet fish sauce, they would eat it during the windy season as the fish during that season have grown big with full of meat and oil,” says Vibolphal.

In Takeo province, this is also the time of year that freshwater lobster are at their fullest. Duong Heng, a retired civil servant in the provincial capital, says when the wind begins to shift direction in December locals start to fire up the grill to cook bong kong ampil bok (roast lobster with crushed tamarind and basil).

“Most of the residents of Takeo begin to cook and eat lobster after the wind shifts from the northeast to the southwest because by that time the lobsters are plump and the tamarind fruit has ripened,” he explains.

“Nowadays people can eat bong kong ampil bok anytime, but for the best flavour they wait until its ingredients are in season.”

The return of the rainy season brings fresh bamboo shoots and Cambodians find creative ways to add them to their recipes, says Dek Sarin, a retired official of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. One of the most popular seasonal dishes is prohoeu soup, which is traditionally only available between July and August.

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
A girl in Takeo province displays live freshwater lobster. Moeun Nhean

“When the rain starts pouring the shoots of the bamboo tree grow quickly, as do the leaves of many other wild plants,” he says.

“Cambodians add these leaves and young bamboo shoots to dishes made with freshwater fish, which have by that time grown fat and are filled with roe, which makes for a very tasty meal.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the