In our cooking school you learn how to prepare traditional, delicious Khmer dishes under the guidance of our young but enthusiastic, friendly and experienced English-speaking teacher-cook. Kick off with a trip to the morning market before returning with an armful of fresh ingredients. Our guide will explain everything about Cambodian vegetables, herbs, spices and other ingredients and teach you the art of Khmer Cuisine. Be amazed at the vast array of colors, smells, and tastes for sale - from the ubiquitous, smelly fish sauce to the sweet, fragrant mangoes.
Travel by local tuk-tuk to the cooking school and explore the secrets of traditional food preparation. Each person attending the half day class has their own cooking station where you will make an appetizer and a main course. The appetizer is usually something like Banana Blossom Salad or Spring Rolls while the main course could be Fish Amok or other mouthwatering Khmer food. The Chef usually demonstrates to you how each dish is professionally prepared and then it’s your turn. You will explore traditional methods of food preparation, particularly the use of mortar and pestle to pound and grind herbs and spices to enhance their flavours and nutrition.
The tour ends around 13h00 and you will be transferred back to your hotel
General information about Cambodian cuisine
Traditional Khmer cuisine is one of detail – small amounts of ingredients with intriguing textures, complex aromas and fresh exhilarating flavors create distinctly light, delicate and healthy cuisine. Rice is nearly a sacred component of Khmer culture, along with fish and shellfish, both fresh from Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. The use of garlic predominates in Cambodian cooking. All food is cooked according to Buddhist guidelines.
Cambodians are adept at fermenting and drying food for use throughout the year, but seasonal variations exist for some of their fresh produce. April to October is prime fishing season around Phnom Penh, and the Cambodian barbecue becomes ubiquitous. Popular festivals that celebrate food include Royal Ploughing Day in May and the October and November Water Festival at Tonle Sap, a thanksgiving for the abundance of fish left behind in Tonle Sap Lake at the end of the rainy season.