Experience Cambodia Archives - Dine With The Locals

The best Cambodian sweet and sour soup in 2022

Written by André Ruys on 08/10/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Khmer food, Kochkurs, Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Uncategorized.

Since I was young, I liked the taste of sour food, from pickles to fruits and dishes. When I felt not well, I’d like to eat sour dishes – they made me somehow feel stronger and awake. The Cambodian sweet and sour soup (in Khmer called Samlor machu trey) is special, since it also contains chili. Once they kicked it, I sometimes started sweating – kind of natural body cleansing. Mostly I cooked this soup on Sundays when I was a student, when our family wanted to give my mother a break from daily house duties. Still, she handed me a list with ingredients I bought at the local market.

Soup was the first I ever cooked, I still remember– an easy one with potatoes and mushroom and carrots.

Cambodian sweet and sour soup is one of the popular dishes for Khmer

Cambodian cuisine is more diverse than some may think. If we talk about Khmer food and what people cook for daily life, we will think of one kind of Khmer soups (called Samlor). The Cambodian sweet and sour soup is one of the popular dishes, easy and fast to prepare and healthy.

People use different kinds of vegetables and fish to make it, like rice fields craps or small shrimps, to make sweet and sour soup in many types. For the simple one we can use green papaya pieces, water lily, morning glory, the core of the banana stem and winter melon. If you cook sweet and sour soup in Cambodia with kreung ( the traditional Khmer spice paste) and coconut milk, and you want to add vegetable, morning glory is a popular one to add, usually without shrimps.

We call it then samlor machu kreoung. The important ingredient that we should not miss is prahok, the infamous Khmer fermented fish paste, and sour fruit. Sour fruit could be tamarind, lime or lucidas fruit.

One of the secrets why Cambodian sweet and sour soup is so popular lies in the ingredients. They are easy to find, often just around the house. The soup is an every day dish, found regularly on many lunch tables in Khmer houses. Enjoy our virtual cooking class here!

How to make sweet and sour soup (classic style)

Ingredients for classic Cambodian sweet and sour soup

Fish
Morning glory
Garlic
Galangal
Prahok or fish sauce
Salt
Sugar
Seasoning
Tamarind / lemon/krosang fruit
Rice paddy herb or holy basil
Chili

How to cook it

Clean the fish

Clean the morning glory

Clean the fish using first water and then salt and clean morning glory, then cut into pieces. (If you are vegetarian, use fried tofu cubes instead)
Peel of garlic, slice galangal, put tamarind into a bowl, smash it an add a bit of hot water to make sour sauce.
Put prahok in a bowl of hot water and pour into the pot while the water is boiling. If prahok is to intense, use fish sauce. For a vegetarian option use mushroom sauce. Then add tamarind sauce, garlic and galangal.
After the water boiled for about 10 minutes, add fish cubes (as well as crap and small shrimps, if you want to add).
Once the fish is cooked and soft add the vegetables, salt, sugar, seasoning and a bit of fish sauce.
Lastly, put rice paddy herb or holy basil, chilly and its done.

Sweet and sour soup in Cambodia with kreung spice paste

There is no right or wrong with using kreung paste for the soup, it just gives a more intense taste.

Ingredients:

Ingredients (for 4-6 people)

fish 1kilogram
lemongrass 4 pieces
Dried chilly 3 pieces
Turmeric 1 small piece (2 cm)
Galangal 1 small piece (1.5 cm)
Kaffir lime 3 leaves
Lucidas fruit 3-4 depend on size (can be replaced with lemon)
3 long peppers
Prahok 30g
Fish sauce 1 tablespoon
•Garlic 1 glove
Seasoning 1teaspoon
Salt 1/2 tablespoon
Sugar palm 1/2 tablespoon

Steps to make it:

Clean fish with salt and cut to pieces.
Slice lemon grass, garlic, turmeric galangal add a bit of salt and punch until smooth.
Squeeze a lucida fruit into a bowl, add minced prohok, slice pepper into small pieces.
Mince and soak dried chilli .
Mix fish, kreoung, prahok, squeezed lucidas fruit or lemon, palm sugar, fish sauce and seasoning into a pot add a bit of water stir gently.
Start heating on medium heat, keep boiling for 5 mins then add 1/4 cup of water
Simmer until fish is cooked.
Add kraffir lime leaves to taste
Lastly add slices of peppers.

In Cambodia, a soup is usually served with rice. Some families will also add some herbs and fresh vegetables, whatever is handy. If you are invited or visit one of our hosts, you would pour the soup in a bowl, then get a small plate with rice. You can pour soup over the rice or just eat both separately.

Author: Mealea Kong

Two ways to get around in Siem Reap: By tuk tuk or by rickshaw

5 best ways to get around in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 07/05/2022. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, local life, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Arriving in Siem Reap is breathtaking: Coming by plane you will see the vast area of the Tonle Sap lake and may get a glimpse of Angkor Wat. Traveling by bus, you will enjoy the countryside. But then comes the challenge how to get around in Siem Reap. The good news is: You have a lot of choices.UPDATE: We added a new e-bkk rental place. See below!

At Dine With The Locals we do not include transport to our hosts, but three families in Siem Reap actually offer the service – the husband is a rickshaw driver and will pick you up. If you don’t rent a car and driver for your stay (what is at least 30 Dollar per day) you need to arrange your transport but yourself.

Since there is not public transport like busses or hop-on-hop-of-services like in Thailand and other countries, you have only private transport option. But that doesn’t mean it is difficult to get around in Siem Reap – it’s actually quite easy, mainly because the city isn’t that big.

The most convenient way to get around in Siem Reap: Tuktuk and Rickshaw

Since 2019 the old tuktuk, a trailer pulled by a motorbike, is replaced by Indian style rickshaws – there-wheelers with a cabin. They are smaller, but offer a more comfortable and faster ride. On a hot day however the cabin warms up a bit – for a longer ride a tuk tuk would be a better option.

How to get a tuktuk or a rickshaw

You habe two options: Just check in fron of your hotel or guesthouse for drivers and negotiate with them. Or download one of the ride-hailing apps. Most popular in Siem Reap are PassApp and Grab, Tada is also gaining market share. The apps are convenient since they offer you a fixed price, the driver is know to them and you can see in a map where you are going (some freelance drivers take a longer way to ask for more money).

If you want a day trip, for example to visit the temples in Angkor Wat, it’s best to hire a rickshaw or a tuk tuk for the day. They cost about $25 to $30 per day, depending where you go. If you book our hosts Ms. Vannarith, Ms. Sokvy or Ms. Chan Mony, their husbands can make you a good offer for a trip and they also speak English, so you don’t need a guide, and they know the way around).

These Indian rickshaws can be ordered with an app

Renting a motobike in Siem Reap

There are shops in Siem Reap renting out motobikes. While many tourists love the idea of driving around the temples or through the ricefields in Cambodia, there are some thing to know. First, technically you need a Cambodian driving license to operate a motobike. An International Driving licence is not recognized. Also, because you would drive illegally, your health insurance may refuse to pay in case of an accident. The police regularly stops tourists in Siem Reap, but mostly for traffic violations like turning when its not allowed or not wearing a helmet (all passengers have to wear one).

Then there is traffic: Cambodia it’s one of the highest death rates form traffic in the world. Rules are not respected like in western countries, and especially on overland roads and at night driving is dangerous. For locals motorbikes are the best way to get around in Siem Reap, but for foreigners it might come with a risk

And last but not least the shops renting out motobikes are not always trustworthy. Usually you have to leave your passport as a deposit, although we recommend to refuse this and leave money instead. Some shops will then complain about damage when you bring it back – this can ruin the day or even the stay here.

Many shops offer motobikes and bicycles for rent in Siem Reap.

There is a legal solution we recommend: Rent an electric bike. The E-Green shop at Sivutha road in downtown rents out two models, a smaller one and a scooter like Vorlagen Matrix. The latter is as good as a motobike, the charge is sufficient for a day in Angkor Wat. You don’t need a driving license.. Top speed is up to 50 km/h on the highest setting – but that will drain the battery fast. Go with setting 1 and you are fine. We still recommend to wear a helmet.

UPDATE: THE NEW KOREAN POPLE BIKES

Recently a Korean shop opened not far from the National museum on the Charles-De-Gaulles-Road. It’s called Pople and they rent out quite nice looking electric motobikes. They charge $10 for 1/2 day tour and $15 for a full day or $30 for three days. What is impressive beside the building quality of the e-bikes is the charging station. They do battery swaps, so if you are running out of juice you can just switch the battery pack. Also, the electricity for the charging comes from solar panels the installed on the roof top of the building – which also hosts a coffee shop and community space. They even sell Carbon-certificates.

The project is funded by the Korean government. It is definitely worth a try. Get more information at www.facebook.com/CafeandTour or on INstagram @poplestation.

Renting a bicycle in Siem Reap

The most environmental friendly and cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap is by bicycle. There are many shops in the city where you can rent a push bike. Some hotels and hostels even offer them as a service to guest. We recommend to get a new mountain bike style bike. Old city bikes often have broken brakes and aren’t well maintained. The costs is around $6 per day. We recommend Angkor Cycling Tour in Tapul road for renting bikes – they also offer bicycle tours around Siem Reap.

If you want to explore Angkor Wat by bicycle, be prepared for a longer ride. It’s around 10km from the city to the main temple. The small circuit is 17 km long, the grand circuit is 26 km long, plus 10 km to get back into town. The roads are in a good condition and its flat, and the trees in the Archeological Park are cooling down the air.

Cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap: Rent a bicycle.

To get around in Siem Reap on a bicycle you can use your phones map for orientation. There are now bicycle lanes in downtown you can and should use. Make sure you lock the bicycle when you take a rest properly – they can get stolen.

All of our hosts in Siem Reap can be reached with a bicycle. We will give you the coordinates and a description, so you can take a ride from your hotel and enjoy the local houses and scenery along the way.

Learn how to throw a Cambodian fishing net

We are back: Enjoy food adventures with locals families in Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 05/20/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Khmer food, Siem Reap.

We had rough two years, but now we are back. Dine With The Locals will continue to connect travelers with local families in Cambodia (and in two cities in Vietnam) and provide great food adventures. We are finishing our process to update our lists of host and started to onboard new hosts.

Our food adventures are more than a cooking class

Say hello to Ms. Sokvy, who lives in the outskirts of Siem Reap, next to rice fields, with her husband and her kids. While Mr. Chantry is buy as a driver (he will pick you up and bring you back when you book with us), she is taking care of the house. We visited her recently and consulted the family regarding food and activity selection. Expect one of the best dishes in Cambodia, Tek Kreung, and lean how to make this thick soup (some call it a paste) made of pea eggplants and river fish.

You will also learn how locals go fishing (no animals harmed during this experience): Mr. Chantry will show you how to throw a fishing net. It is traditionally used for fishing in ponds, but also in shallow waters like the Tonlesap lake (Asias biggest lake).

Good bye to some great hosts

We had some amazing hosts during the last three years, providing authentic food adventures and great experiences. It’s no surprise, that some changed location and work during the pandemic. First of all, all of the host families survived the crises and are doing good. But some found new jobs, moved to Phnom Penh or other cities.

One hosts made a remarkable progress: Ms Hong Ginlai, who runs a food stall in Siem Reap. When we started with her, guests could prepare street food in the morning in a made shift stall. She later had to move – what turned out to be a great opportunity. She told us, that she has to pause now taking guests for food adventures because she is too busy. We could not be more happy to see her being so successfull. Watch our video and see what you have missed.

Finding more food adventures in Cambodia

After we have updated our current list of hosts we will find more soon. Ms. Sokvy is just the first. We are looking for more families in Battambang and in and around Phnom Peng now. To be a host at Dine With The Locals, a family needs to provide a menu with three local dishes as well as a interesting experience beside cooking with guests.

Ms. Kaum provides an amazing food adventure in Siem Reap

And one more thing: You may hav noticed that we had to increase our prices. This is due rising costs for food in Cambodia, but also for our operations. Host get the biggest share of what you pay, because our main goal is to eatable women to earn money in their home and provide a great food adventure for foreign guests.

Cambodian crispy rice with pork floss

Written by André Ruys on 09/28/2021. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture, Khmer food, News and Updates, Online-Experience, Siem Reap.

Rice is something like the staple food in Cambodia. It is served at every meal. Most people eat regular cooked rice, but there are also variations, for example in delicious desserts. Another specialty is pot-fried Cambodian crispy rice with pork floss. Pork floss is soft, dried meat fibers from the pig. You find this dish on special occasions, but a restaurant in Siem Reap specializes only in it. It is not cheap: a large portion costs 10 dollars. Our host Vorleak researched a bit for you and made a step-by-step instruction how to cook Cambodia crispy rice at home.

How to cook Cambodian crispy rice with Pork Floss

First of all, you take normal rice and wash it three times. Then you pour it into a pot with a thin bottom. Take so much rice that it covers about one centimeter of the bottom. Then add water and boil the rice for about 20 minutes. The rice must become very soft. A gas stove or open fire is best.

When it is done cooking, take a wooden spoon and start spreading the rice from the center to the edge of the pot. It should form a rim about five centimeters high, but the rice must still cover the bottom. Spread everything smoothly.

Now put the pot back on the stove and let the rice bake. First on the bottom, then you have to take the pot in your hand and hold the edges over the flame. Be careful not to burn yourself. It would be best if you kept swirling the pot until the rice has darkened and is clearly browned on the pot (but it shouldn’t burn).

Let the Cambodian crispy rice burn a bit

Meanwhile, crack two eggs and whisk them with salt, pepper and chili powder or homemade chili sauce to taste. Cut spring onions into small pieces.

Heat about 150 ml of oil. When it’s hot, carefully pour it into the rice pot (turn the flame back on) and swirl the pot so the oil gets everywhere. You need to keep doing this until the rice looks crispy. Then pour off the rest of the oil.

Now take the eggs and pour them over the bottom of the crispy rice. Spread them evenly and let the mixture fry briefly until the egg has set. Now let the pot cool down a bit. Hold the bottom of the rice with a wooden spoon, tip the pot over and carefully catch the rice.

Poor eggs and onions on the rice and let it get solid.

Place it on a plate and sprinkle with Pork Floss.

Take the Cambodian crispy rice carefully out of the pot

You need these ingredients

200 gr rice
2 eggs
200 ml cooking oil
salt
pepper
chili powder
2 bunches spring onion
4 tbs porkfloss

The barkeepers at Bar 43, one of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020

The five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Written by André Ruys on 08/18/2020. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

In Siem Reap, cocktails are served on every street corner. Since the beer was reduced to 50 cents a few years ago, cocktail prices went down as well. But the venue operators could only do that because they used cheap spirits. Those who drink a Pina Colada for 2 dollars hardly get a good rum in it. Additionally, as it is so often usual in Asia, every bar and restaurant has the same offers on the menu. The standards and the shooters. But there is light on the horizon. We found the top five bars in Siem Reap 2020 that make more than just gin tonic and margarita. We went out to look for quality and style, and we found some real gems!

Bar 43: The creative bar

Midnight monk cocktail at Bar 43 in Siem Reap

You can tell how good the drinks are just by looking at the bottles on the shelf of a bar (https://web.facebook.com/Bar43REP). In the new Bar 43 you will not find any of the usual suspects like Jameson or Gordon’s Gin. Instead, premium ingredients are used here. There you can eve have a Japanese whiskey in a cocktail. The menu is small but very creative. There’s also very fancy gin, rum and whiskey for those who like a neat drink. Standards are also offered. The ambience somehow takes the visitor into a French road movie of the 70s, also because the two owners look like they just jumped out of this movie.
Recommended cocktail: Midnight monk
Location: West Alley 43, a small side street near the Pubstreet

Miss Wong – the classic bar in Siem Reap 2020

Miss Wong is something like an institution. She definitely belongs to the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020, if only because of the decoration. The bar has just moved to 26nd Street, and has become even more beautiful. The interior reminds of a middle-class Chinese house and is a colorful mixture of decoration and design. The cocktails have it all, the ingredients are exclusively premium spirits. For the small hunger there is Dimsum.
Recommended cocktail: Rose & Lemongrass Martini
Location: Street 26

Menaka Lounge the quietest of the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Menaka Lounge is the only Speakeasy place in Siem Reap — Menaka Lounge is the only Speak-easy place in Siem Reap

Finest Japanese whisky is on the shelf at Menaka lounge

The only real speakeasy bar in Siem Reap is not easy to find. Opposite the Old market you have to walk through the Menaka Bistro and then climb up the stairs, but the climb is worth it: Old leather sofas in English club style invite you to stay. In the Menaka one has his quietness, even if it is only a few meters away from the party mile Pubstreet. On the menu there are own creations of cocktails that are sorted according to the different eras of Angkor Wat. Accordingly, ingredients such as Jackfruit and Kampot pepper are found. There are also some rare Japanese whiskeys and excellent rum.
Recommended cocktail: Don’t Miss Me Baby
Location: 2 Thnou Street, Old Market Area

Elephant Bar Raffles: For fine spirits

The Raffles Hotel in Siem Reap is one of the best addresses and since its renovation has been brought up to date without forgetting its colonial history as the Grand Angkor Hotel. State guests and royals stayed here. The Elephant Bar is accordingly legendary. The barkeepers are discreet enough to name names, but they can tell a story or two what happened here. Sitting in one of the leather armchairs, you feel like you’ve been transported back to the times when European business people discovered Asia. The assortment is top class, only the finest whiskies are available here as well as gins and other spirits.
Recommended Cocktail: Airavata
Location: Roya Garden, opposite Palace

Chi at the Anantara Hotel – best whiskies

T he Chi is actually the restaurant in the luxury Hotel Anantara, but it also has a bar where you can take a seat and enjoy excellent spirits. Most cocktails are standard, but with premium ingredients. Whisky lovers will get their money’s worth here, though, as there are a few rarities of single malt and Japanese drops on offer. It’s best to go straight to the bar and see what’s new in the range.
Recommended drink: Macallan 12 fine oak
Location: Airport road, next to ferris wheel

Summary:

Our favorite of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020 is Bar 43, followed by Miss Wong and Menaka Lounge. All have excellent cocktails and an impressive selection of spirits. Also, the interior is inviting and relaxing, and prices are very reasonable.

Cooking class for children in Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 01/18/2020. Posted in child friendly, childsafe, eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, kids friendly.

If you are traveling with children to more exotic countries like Cambodia or Laos, you will surely consider whether it is safe and interesting. We have had some families with children as guests at Dine With The Locals. The kids had a lot of fun, and our hosts were also happy. We don’t just do a cooking class for children in Cambodia, we bring travelers and locals together.

You get to know the hosts together with the children. Some also have children themselves and they like to play with new friends. The child friendly hosts will lead you and your family through the house and the garden, if available. There is already a lot to discover here and many questions will probably be asked. After all, different plants grow in Cambodia than in your home.

Learn new skill at our cooking class for children in Cambodia

Then it’s time to cook. Depending on their age, the boys and girls are happy to help prepare the dishes. You can wash and cut vegetables, or help make the Cambodian spice paste Kreung. The various ingredients must be pounded in a mortar. Our cooking class for children in Cambodia should be a change from watching and that’s why we want you and your fellow travelers to actively participate.

We have hosts who are a little tighter, and then someone from our team comes and tinkers with the children, for example. You will learn how to make funny glasses from a coconut palm leaf. You can bake a Cambodian waffle with Ms. Laum. With Mrs. Dary you can braid a collar made of pal leaves. In Phnom Penh you can learn how to spin a spinning wheel for silk. In Battambang you can even paint with Ms. Mony.

Waffles are made at the cooking class for children

If you want to do a cooking class with children in Cambodia we can make you various offers in several cities. We also respond to your individual wishes. If the children don’t want to eat local dishes, we can of course cook something else. Some of our hosts can also change the menu to vegetarian and if desired we can replace chicken, pork and beef or fish with tofu.

Advantages of our cooking class for children in Cambodia:
Have fun and entertainment
Age-appropriate offer
Children under the age of 10 only pay half
Host and team offer additional entertainment
Individual adaptation of the experience to your wishes
Different food options
Find new friends
Learn about life in Cambodia
Play with peers

You can find all of our hosts here. When booking, you can simply enter your wishes or send us a message if you have any questions. We can best be reached via email and Whatsapp as well as Facebook Messenger (between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.)

How to use the Noni tree and fruit

Written by André Ruys on 12/20/2019. Posted in eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture, Khmer food.

The Noni tree (its scientific name is Morinda Citrifolia) is well know in Cambodia, but also all arround the world. Every culture has it’s own word for the green plant with the big green leaves. In Cambodia you can find two species: one grows forest and one grows around the villages. You can eat only the fruits from the domesticated species.

The fruit of the Noni tree

In the Cambodian culture the noni tree has many uses. You can use it as a traditional medicine, food or juice, also you can also use it as a cosmetic. The Noni tree fruit has green colour when it still young, then becomes yellow and at the end white when it is ripe. When the fruit riped it has a strong unpleasend smell.

Dried fruits are often grinded into a powder. Khmer people presse the seeds to extract oil from it. The latter is a complicated process and in many villages kept as a secrets between the elder.

In Cambodia we use the noni fruit as a traditional medicine and fr the famous Cambodian food called AmokFood in Cambodia: All you need to know. Khmer people believe that noni fruit helps a lot for health and protect from some illness. They like to use it for beauty as well. In the past Khmer people made a traditional medicine from noni tree, especially in the countryside.

Do you want to make Noni tree medicine?

Ok , then let me tell you how it made.

First you need some middle aged but nut yet ripe noni tree fruits. Clean them with water and keep keep the in the house to ripe a bit more. Then you need some sugar or honey ( the amount of sugar or honey depends on how many noni fruit you use). Put sugar or honey with noni fruit to make sure it mixes together well. Then put it in a jar and keep it sealed for 18 days to 20 days.

How to use Noni tree fruit drink medicine:

Drink a little amount before meals 3 to 4 times per day. As a traditional medicine it can help against aging and scars of acne. It is NOT recommended for pregnant women, people with kidney and liver problems. Some people will get a bad smell in their breath from eat.

How to use Noni for Amok

Fish Amok ist one of the most popular dishes in Cambodia. Pieces of fresh fish are mixes together with Kreung paste and coconut as well as chilli. But to make it special, you need noni tree leaves. Cut those which are full green (not dark, not bright) from a tree an wash them. Once you made the fish amok and it is in the steaming dish, cut the leaves into stripes and place it over the fish mix. Steam it for 20-30 minutes. You can see a video how to make fish Amok at our host Ms. Laum here.

If you want to make Amok by yourself, book our experience at Ms. Laum in Siem Reap.

Book now your cooking class experience!

Eat with locals – an unforgettable experience

Written by André Ruys on 12/13/2019. Posted in eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, Khmer food, local life.

I didn’t just want to get to know the country, but also the people. Travel takes you to other places and cultures, but what matters is people. When we first came to Cambodia 15 years ago, many locals still spoke French, and we could not speak a word of Khmer. But my wife had business partners in Phnom Penh, and through them we came into contact with local families. We were able to visit them at home and eat with them. Our guide helped us with translations. I will never forget the first time I eat with locals, having my lunch on the floor. I had no idea how to eat properly. Our host family explained to me with hand movements that I can also add the rice to the soup.

Learning how to eat with locals

15 years later I was back in Cambodia, this time in Siem Reap, to live here. We had lived in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and I found many new friends there. In all countries, it has always been important to me to understand how people live.

Eat with locals and Cooking at a organic farm in Battambang — Eat with locals and cooking at a organic farm in Battambang

When I arrived in Cambodia, I quickly got in touch with my neighbors. They live in small apartments that consist of a room with a bathroom and are about 40 square meters in size. In it lives a whole family. The men went to work in the morning, the women stayed at home. I asked them if they work too. Most said they needed to stay home, take care of the kids and cook food.

Support for families

I thought: If you cook anyway, why not make money with it? Let people eat with locals and pay for it. A friend brought me into contact with Sorida, with whom I started Dine With The Locals. Our first hosts were my neighbors. I thought to myself: They have beautiful houses, they are great at cooking and they are lovely people. They couldn’t speak English, but that only made it more authentic. I invited friends to test dinners and they were thrilled. “We would never have access to a local family,” she said. Precisely because everything was not perfectly prepared, they enjoyed it. I always enjoyed cooking with friends myself. Cooking is one of the essential cultural activities. A culture is also defined by the food.

Activities beyond cooking

Today we have 15 hosts across Cambodia and two in Vietnam where travelers can eat with locals. We are still looking for new families, soon also in Laos. I visit most of them myself, cook together, explain our concept. We want to offer our guests more than just food. You will learn how to dance Aspara, what modern artists do, how to make a souvenir pendant from coconut palm leaves or what herbs and plants are used for cooking.

Our guests make an experience that I’ve always appreciated traveling: getting in touch with people and making contact, learning new things and making new friends.

How to make Num Pom (Khmer waffles) and other sweets

Written by André Ruys on 11/26/2019. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture.

Whether you’re in a market or just walking along a busy street, there are street stalls selling small desserts everywhere. Many sellers open already in the morning, from 7 o’clock and until 9 o’clock some are already sold out. There are many different types of these fried desserts and treats. We want to introduce three of them here, most importantly, Num Pom, the Khmer waffles

Our host in Siem Reap, Ms. Laum, sells homemade waffles in Siem Reap in the morning. In Khmer they are called Num Pom, and unlike European waffles they are not round but rectangular.

How to make Num Pom

Ms Laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles

Mas laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles — Ms Laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles

Ingredients for Num Pom:

2½ cups rice flour
½ cup palm sugar
2 pinches of salt
3 eggs
1 cup coconut cream
½ fresh coconut flesh, grated

The dough is made from rice flour, eggs, palm sugar, salt, coconut cream and coconut meat. It is stirred like a regular waffle dough for about 5 minutes. The waffles are available in different quality. The cheap waffles are made with the thinner coconut milk and just a few coconut flakes. But Frau Laum buys the thicker coconut cream and fresh and coarsely grated meat.

With a ladle, the dough is then placed in the waffle irons that lie over a charcoal fire in a traditional Cambodian ground grill. The fire heats the irons very hard, so it does not take long for some crunchy waffles to finish. Traditionally they are served on a banana leaf. A good waffle costs 1000 Riel, about 25 cents.

Flat disks (Num chak chon)

Fried in the fat dough slices, which are called in Khmer Num chak chon. They consist of rice flour, half of which consists of glutinous rice flour, palm sugar and normal sugar, coconut milk and eggs. If you eat with locals, there is a good chance they offer you them during the day. Here is the exact recipe:

Ingredients:

Rice flour 250 g
Glutinous rice flour 100g
Sugar palm 100 g
Sugar 20 g
Coconut milk 120 g
Water 185 ml
Egg 1
Salt1 / 3 tsp
Oil for fry

How to make Num chak chon

First mix flour, salt and sugar, then stir it. Add a beaten and stirred egg and gently add the coconut milk. Gradually add half of the water. In the next step, the palm sugar is stirred gently until it has dissolved, about 10-15 minutes long. Now you add the rest of the water. The dough then has to rest for about 4-5 hoursm thats is different from Nom Pom.. Then small round pancakes are baked from it, which must be slightly brown at the edge.

Bullfrog Bread (Num Hing, Hollow Donut)

Num Hing got the funny name because it looks like a bloated bullfrog. It is especially in the morning for coffee eaten and is often sold out after an hour. To do it, you have to fry it in oil, preferably in a big wok. It tastes best if you still garnish it with sesame seeds.Other than Nom Pom you will use yeast here.

The ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsps. of dry yeast
1 tsps. of baking powder
1/4 tsps. of salt (or 1 / 2tsp)
1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of water (add little bit more of dough gets dry)
1 egg

How to make Bullfrog bread

Mix all ingredients at room temperature and knead them into a dough. If this is supple enough, you have to let it go covered for one hour in a not too cool place. Then you shape a long roll on which small slices about 2 cm thick are cut off. Put it on a plate and let it rest for another 15 minutes. Then you roll the small dough pieces flat and put them immediately in the hot fat. It is best to roll only one piece of dough at a time. It has to float in fat, like in a deep fryer. When completely bloated, remove and drain. After a short cool, they can eat the donuts.

If you like to make the Nom Pom waffles yourself, book lunch or dinner with Ms. Laum in Siem Reap. You will additionally learn how to make fish amok and other Khmer dishes and have a great meal with our host. It will be a unforgettable memory and a truly authentic experience.

Make your own Num Pom and delicious Khmer food in Siem Reap

Learn how to make Kreung paste in our cooking class in Siem Reap

What to do in Cambodia: 5 secrets

Written by André Ruys on 11/13/2019. Posted in eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture, local life, Uncategorized.

Of course, if you are going to Cambodia you will want to see the famous temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. You will also visit the capital, Phnom Penh, and see the Royal Palace. But there are still many unknown places to discover. We tell you what you to do in Cambodia.

1. Look at architecture in Phnom Penh

Independence Monument Phnom Penh is one thing of what to do in Cambodia — Independence Monument Phnom Penh

There are not many buildings left by former star architect Vann Molyvann. He has designed the Olympic Stadium and the famous Chaktomouk Theater as well as the Independence Monument. You can still see both of them. He worked directly under King Sihanouk in the golden period of Cambodia between 1955 and 1970, when the city became the pearl of Southeast Asia. He also founds the New Cambodian Architecture, which is still an inspiration for many architects and artists. A glimpse of what Phnom Penh looked like in the 60s is in this video. Another highlight in architecture is the Central Market. You can also watch it from above on Google Maps and see how its arms reach all directions. It was built in 1937 and was then the largest market building in Asian. It is one of the most famous Art Deco buildings in Asia and a must on the list of what to do in Cambodia.

2. Modern Art in Cambodia

As a traveler, you will learn a lot about the past of Cambodia, especially the time of the Khmer Empire and the sad Khmer Rouge period. But there are also interesting developments in the present, and art is at the top of the list. Some artists have freed themselves from the shackles of the old rules and try to break new ground. One is Vannak Khun, a photographer and performance artist who has already presented his works in Tokyo. You can visit him in his studio in Phnom Penh and enjoy a typical Cambodian meal together. He will show you his works and explain what they mean. If you are interested in dance then you can watch the performances of Silverbell in Phnom Penh, a Cambodian dance group that performs modern dance and is also a highligt, what you can do in Cambodia. In Siem Reap there are the New Cambodian Artists, who also perform modern dance. You can also see great art in galleries, such as Theams House in Siem Reap, Tribe Gallery in Siem Reap, Sangker Gallery and Romcheik 5 Artspace & Café in Battambang, and Kbach Gallery and DinArt Gallery in Phnom Penh.

3. Eat with locals

What to do in Cambodia: Cook and have fun with locals — Cooking is on the list what to do in Cambodia.

The Cambodian cuisine is not well known, most travelers know the dishes Amok and Lok Lak, but not much else. The kitchen of the Cambodian kings has even influenced the Thai cuisine, and even has Indian roots. Cambodian food is not so spicy because there was no chili at the time of the Khmer empire – they were introduced later from South America. Many ancient Khmer dishes are still cooked in families today. It is a unique experience to go home to a family and cook a typical Cambodian meal together. You will cook like home, in a typical local kitchen, which is sometimes even outside the house and eat with locals. At Dine With The Locals, you can choose from 15 different host families in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey. Each family has their own dishes and recipes, and if you want to know what you can do in Cambodia, it’s definitely a family visit. You can also help the family earn extra money.

4. What to do in Cambodia: Exploring the hinterland

As a traveler, the best experience is to leave the classic route and explore new paths. For example, if you want to travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, you can make a stop in Kampong Thom, there are guesthouses or the cheap but quite good Glorious Hotel. Here you can see some lesser-known temples like Prasat Andet, Prasat Kuhak Nokor or Sambo Preykuk. To relax, you can take a rest at The Prey Pros. This is a real insider tip what you can do in Cambodia. The villagers have built a tourist attraction on a lake, which is mainly visited by locals. During the week, it is rather quiet and you can wonderfully enjoy the nature and talk to the owners of food stalls. If you want to travel to Siem Reap via Battambang, you can stop in Kampong Chnang. The city is quite small, but beautifully situated on the Tonle Sap River. Climb the Phnom Kong Rei and enjoy the views of the surrounding area. Go to the market and try the dishes there, especially the baked sweets.

5. By bike through the villages

After the meal have a bike trip around the village

We are not big fans of guided tours, so we do not offer guides at Dine With The Locals. We believe it’s better to explore the area on your own. That’s why we recommend simply taking a bike and touring on your own. In Phnom Penh you can take the bike and the Tuktuk to the Koh Dach peninsula and explore it on two wheels. Another tour leads to Tonle Bati, a popular lake south of Phnom Penh. Try to avoid the main roads and use Google Maps. Here are also small streets and paths registered. In Battambang you can drive through the city from north to south, all the way to Phnom Sampov. If you want to experience something very special, what to do in Cambodia is to visit our host Panha Yem. She has an organic garden and grows her own vegetables. She is also an environmental activist and teaches students how to do without plastic. You will cook a delicious meal with her and take it together and then she will take you on a great tour through her village. An unforgettable experience.

If you have any questions about what to do in Cambodia, just send us an email or contact us via Whatsapp or Facebook. We are happy to help

Boat race during water festival in Cambodia

Water festival in Cambodia (Bon Om Touk)

Written by André Ruys on 11/10/2019. Posted in Experience Cambodia, Khmer culture, Khmer food, local life, Uncategorized.

The Royal water festival in Cambodia celebrates the end of the rainy season in Cambodia. It is one of the most important festivals in Cambodia and probably the biggest one. Every year millions of people celebrate the festival in Phnom Penh, while in Siem Reap it is a bit quieter. With the end of the rainy season, the current of the Tonle Sap changed in recent years. Since the Mekong is the lowest at this time of the year and its water level is lower than the Tonle Sap Lake, the water of the lake flows over the Tonle Sap River into the Mekong. As a result, the Tonle Sap River flows six months a year from the southeast (Mekong) to the northwest (lake) and six months a year in the opposite direction.

Book now your truly authentic food experience!

The festival is celebrated especially in the big cities with numerous events, in Battambang usually a few weeks before. But also in the country you will find meetings on the holidays, it is sung, danced, eaten and drunk.

Boat races to the water festival in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

In Phnom Penh boat races take place at the water festival, attracting teams from many countries. The boats are classic Asian rowing boats, a team consists of up to 20 men or women. There are both rowboats and paddles. Up to 300 teams take part in the competitions. They are made up of organizations – like the police and the army – and also village crews. These often take days of travel to purchase at the water festival. Many teams are accompanied by their families and it is customary to pitch their camp next to the boat for the festive season. The water festival in Cambodia will be opened by high-ranking personalities such as Prime Minister Hun-Sen or the Cambodian King.

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Legend has it that the Water Festival celebrates the Cambodian Marine, which has won heroic battles on the rivers since the 12th century, especially on the Mekong. By the way, Cambodia also holds the world record of the longest dragon boat on a river.

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle in Phnom Penh, you can watch the quieter festival in Siem Reap. The races take place in the early afternoon, on the first evening there is a small firework display at 6.30pm. As in the capital, many small stalls are set up along the river, where you can buy treats such as fried insect pickled mangoes and grilled chicken. Food is a important part of the water festival in Cambodia.

Special dishes for the festival

One of the delicacies that specializes in the water festival in Cambodia is ambok. The young rice is still roasted with the shell and then beaten with a huge pestle. The shells are removed and the flat-looking rice mixed with coconut milk and bananas. This rice is usually only at the end of the rainy season to buy, because then was also harvested. You can also eat it with chilies or even roast with pork and dried crab in the pan. Our hosts are happy to show how these dishes are made when the ambok rice is on the market.

If you want to experience local food by yourself, join our hosts, cook and eat with them and learn what else they know to do.

Book now your truly authentic food experience!

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It’s about the experiences

Written by André Ruys on 11/01/2019. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture.

We live in the age of bucket lists and Instagram-enabled places. When traveling, a moment lasts as long as the upload to the social network. Even in remote areas we have a high speed internet connection. Our digital experiences don’t last long.

And yet we are looking for deceleration. The difference between the tourist and the traveler is that the latter takes time. Travelers want to get to know people, discover places, look for the new and the unusual. Travelers want to make experiences that are authentic. Travelers want to connect with people, build relationships, socialize. Travelers bring not only pictures home, but new friendships and memories.

Cooking at a organic farm in Battambang is an unforgettable experience.

You cant’t forget experiences

Whenever we travel, it is the people we remember. The tour guide in Buthan, who took us home. The hotel owner in Kathmandu, who made a career as an environmentalist. The DJ in Japan who rarely saw Tokyo in their club. The student in Vietnam, who liked to wear colorful clothes.

We want to connect people in Cambodia with travelers. When you come to our hosts, do not book lunch or dinner. They book an extraordinary experience that is hidden from the tourist. We give you time and space to talk to our host families, cook and eat together.

A common meal is the first way to connect people in all cultures of the world. Essen connects and is at the same time a starting point for an exchange of cultures. In Cambodia we had guests from India, from Taiwan, from America and from Germany and many other countries. Many guests exchanged their Facebook addresses with the families, some went out together after dinner or enjoyed the view of the rooftops of Phnom Penh.

We create something special

If you come to Cambodia or Vietnam, we offer you a truly authentic experience. Each of our hosts not only cooks delicious local food with you, but also introduces you to the culture and way of life. We have former apsara dancers, organic farmers, silk producers and modern artists. Our hosts are carefully selected so we can offer you an exclusive experience.