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Prahok

A gray, pasty preserved fish, prahok is probably the most distinctive flavor in all of Cambodian cooking and certainly the most unusual for Westerners. Its smell has earned it the nickname "Cambodian cheese" in The Elephant Walk kitchens, and its odor is reminiscent of Limburger or ripe Camembert. You may ask why anyone would want to eat it (and a lot of Westerners have asked) the answer lies in something beyon flavor, which I can only describe as a kind of volume and body that a dish takes on as a result of the prahok. Prahok is available in any Southeast Asian grocery store and usually in Chinese markets too (although they don't always stock the brands that I think are best). Labels sometimes read "fish sauce," which is a different product, and often refer to mudfish or "preserved featherback fish" as well. Be sure to buy prahok in glass jars, which allow you to check the quality of what you are getting. What you want to see is a grayish paste, there should be no chunks of fish discernable, nor any flour or roasted rice, as would be the case with some of the related fish-paste products that the Vietnamese make.

The imported Thai brands are generally what Cambodians buy, and I like one variety in particular that uses only the choicest fish and is known for its purity. It calls itself "Siem Reap style" (there's a drawing of Angkor Wat and Khmer letters on the label) to indicate that it is made in the Cambodian fashion, with all meat and no bones. Even if you have to search a bit, I recommend making the effort because that one jar of prahok will probably be all you need to buy for two or three years. And you do not need to keep it in the refrigerator.

A very small amount of prahok goes a long way, and it is usually cooked before being eaten (my husband, Ken, has tasted raw prahok only once in his life, and he didn't like it). Newcomers may want to use a light touch to start, adding additional prahok at the table and experiment with increasing the amount over time. Some may want to dive right in and use the quantities I give in the recipes, while others, especially Cambodians, will probably double the amounts. It's all a matter of taste. There is really no substitute for prahok, although some people suggest using shrimp paste or anchovies in its place.

To make prahok juice, steep two tablespoons of prahok in ½ cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, with the back of a spoon, press against the solids (you can also push them through a strainer) to extract as much of the juice and flavor as possible. Reserve the liquid and discard the solids. You can make a quantity of prahok juice and store it in a lidded jar in the refrigerator where it will keep for several weeks.

From The Elephant Walk Cookbook by Chef/Author Longteine de Monteiro and Co-Author Kathy Neustadt

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Substitute for prahok

Make your own, see recipe.

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