ART & HANDICRAFTS
Across the land of green rice paddies, shining blue waters, great
wandering rivers and lush forests, the people of Cambodia are
re-learning the arts of their ancestors.
SILK WEAVING
Gem-colored silk in a brilliant array of colors are stacked floor to
ceiling in shops at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. This Cambodian handicraft
has been passed down from generation to generation. You can visit silk
weavers in various places in Cambodia including Kandal, Prey Veng and
Takeo provinces. The colors of traditional Khmer silk costumes are
historically associated with the days of the week as follows:
Yellow for Monday, Purple for Tuesday, Green and Copper on Wednesday,
Green for Thursday, Blue on Friday, Violet for Saturday and Red for
Sunday.
SILVER
The art of the Silversmith reached its height in Cambodia during the
11th century when crafted objects were used primarily by Royalty and the
upper classes for ceremonial purposes including funerals and religious
rituals. You can find market stalls offering many silver items including
intricate fruit and animal designs as well as traditional pieces.
CARVINGS
Wood carvings reflect strong spiritual beliefs with roots in animism
from the pillars of a house to the elaborate motifs of the moon, stars,
fruit and flowers. Houses are built with great attention given to the
pillars, each having its own spirit of a woman, and roofs feature
elaborate carved motifs. Miniature "Spirit Houses" are strategically
placed at homes and other buildings and they are used for offerings of
food, flowers and incense. Carved boxes and statues are used for
ornamentation and furniture.
Stone carving is another popular art form and again you will find many
vendors in the main tourist markets offering pieces for sale. There is
an excellent array of reproduction pieces available.
FOOD AND DRINK
Cambodian cuisine is closely related to that of its neighbors Thailand
and Laos and, to a lesser extent, Vietnam. There are,however some local
dishes too. The overral consensus is that Khmer cooking is similar to
Thai but with fewer spices. Rice and fish are the basic foods enjoyed by
Cambodians. Delicious noodle soups are available at cafes whilst fresh
seafood is plentiful in Sihanoukville. In major cities a wide range of
culinary fare is on offer including; Chinese, Thai, French, Korean,
Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern. A traditional Cambodian
meal almost always includes a soup, or samla which is eaten at the same
time as other courses.
Samla machou banle
This popular fish soup has a sour flavour rather like the hot and sour
dishes of neighboring Thailand. Other soups include samla chapek (
ginger-flavoured pork soup), samla machou bangkang ( prawn soup) and
samla ktis (a fish soup with coconut and pineapple).
Cambodian 'salad'
These dishes are also popular and delicious although quite different
from the western concept of a cold salad. Phlea sach ko is a beef and
vegetable salad, flavoured with coriander, mint leaves and lemon grass.
These herbs find their ways into many Cambodian’s dishes.
Like all other Buddhist countries, vegetarian food is readily available
and ordering in a restaurant shouldn’t pose any problems as there is a
separate vegetarian page in most menus.
Banana
Bananas are in abundance in Cambodia and hence are a staple dietary
item. When you stroll through the markets in Cambodia you will notice
that there are many varieties of this popular fruit. As well as being
consumed as fresh fruit and used in desserts, other popular ways of
eating banana include deep-fried and sun dried. In addition to being a
food source bananas are used as offerings during religious ceremonies.
Coconut
The coconut, known as Dong in Khmer, is another staple of the Cambodian
diet. Vendors are often seen pulling carts laden with coconut through
the streets. Coconut juice is a very refreshing drink and the inner
flesh is sweet when the fruit is young. In addition the flesh is often
used in cooking.
Durian
The durian, or Thouren as it is known in Khmer, is sometimes referred to
as the "King" of tropical fruits. Its odor is so strong that hotels and
airlines ban customers from carrying the durian and many foreigners
cannot bring themselves to sample the flesh but it is well worth it!
Durian can grow into large, oblong shaped fruit with the green skin
covered in hard, short spikes. When split open, the inner yellow flesh
is revealed. Inside the creamy flesh are large seeds. As well as eaten
fresh, durian is also cooked into a paste and used in desserts.
Jackfruit
The Jackfruit is one of the most distinctive fruits of Asia. Known as
Khnol in the Khmer language, jackfruit is a large, oval fruit with a
light-green, spiky skin. When cut open jackfruits emit a sweet, perfumed
odor and the bright yellow flesh surrounding the seeds is eaten.
Longan
Known as Mean in the Khmer language, longan is another small, round,
sweet tropical fruit. Longans have a rather drab, beige skin coloring,
but once peeled the flesh is clear white and very sweet. Inside the
fruit harbors a hard black seed. Longans are usually sold in bunches
with the stalks still attached.
Lychee
The lychee is called Koulen in Khmer and many foreigners are familiar
with the tinned, processed fruit. The fresh fruit is small, round and
spiky and red in color. Once peeled, the flesh is white and contains a
black seed.
Mangosteen
The mangosteen is a very distinctive looking fruit with a smooth,
dark-red almost black skin. The top of the fruit has a small floral
pattern near the stem. The skin is relatively thick and it is best to
slice the fruit open with a knife. Once opened the white flesh is
revealed in segments. Meangkhout as they are known in Khmer, have a very
sweet flavor when fully ripened.
Papaya
Called Lhong in the Khmer language, papaya has a unique oblong shape.
The skin of the papaya is smooth and when the fruit is young it is green
in color, turning to reddish-yellow as it ripens. The inner flesh is
light-red and sweet.
Pineapple
The pineapple (Manoa in Khmer) is well-known to most tourists and grows
abundantly in Cambodia. The spiky outer skin is covered in "eyes". When
fully ripe, pineapples exude a fragrant sweet odor. As well asbeing
eaten raw as fresh fruit, pineapples are also used extensively in
Cambodian cooking.
Rambutan
Rambutans have a very distinctive appearance, the outer skin being a
reddish shell and covered in soft, thick hairs. The inner flesh is
translucent white, which is very sweet and juicy and contains a smooth
seed. Like longans, rambutans are normally sold in bunches with the
stems attached.
Sugar Palm
Called Tnaot in the Khmer language, the sugar palm is synonymous with
the Cambodian countryside. They are commonly seen growing amongst the
rice fields and offer many valuable by-products. The slow growing palms
become very tall over time and it takes about 15 years or more for the
palms to produce the seeds which are eaten as dessert. As well as seeds,
the palm flowers can be "milked" of juice and this is used to make palm
wine. The fronds can be used in weaving and the tree itself offers
strong, durable timber.
Watermelon
Watermelons are a popular, refreshing fruit found throughout Cambodia.
Cambodians call the fruit Owlock and the watermelons come in a variety
of sizes, shapes and flesh colors. You will find plenty of watermelons
for sale at the local markets.
