Cambodia

This weeks stop is in Cambodia. Nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodian food is known as Khmer cuisine. This is one of the world's oldest cuisines. Khmer food is very uncomplicated. It relies on food that is both fresh and local. Like other Asian cuisines, Khmer cuisine relies on rice as a staple food. The use of spices is minimal.

To represent Cambodia, I chose to prepare Khmer beef, and Poat Dot, or, Cambodian Grilled Corn. I had some thinly sliced beef that I purchased from a Korean grocer. It was perfect for this recipe. If you use a whole piece of beef eye round, you may want to put it in the freezer for a bit. This will make it easier to slice thinly. Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, using medium high heat. Brown the beef for no more than a minute. 

Peel and thinly slice an Asian pear. Add this to the skillet, along with six sliced scallions, five cloves of minced garlic, four tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of agave syrup, two tablespoons of homemade curry powder (recipe to follow), and dry chili flakes. Stir fry for two to three minutes.

If you choose, you can serve this over rice. 

Homemade Curry Powder:

Combine the following in a small grinder, and grind for one to two minutes:

4-5 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Turmeric
1-2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp Ground Cardamon
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger