Slightly Interesting Cambodian Facts (26) Chicken Eggs

At the Market: Preserved Duck Eggs

It is estimated that there are 800,000 hens laying eggs in Cambodia.

The Cambodian egg market is still dominated by duck eggs though, with chicken eggs accounting for just 40% of the number consumed.

This is beginning to change however, as more efficient feeding methods and the milder taste of chicken eggs is seeing a rise in their popularity.

Cambodian Rice Smuggling Proves Lucrative

Thai  government guaranteed high prices makes rice smuggling worthwhile.

750,000 tonnes of rice, mainly from Cambodia and Burma was smuggled into Thailand last year.

But why would you smuggle rice from Cambodia to Thailand when the Thais are holding enough rice to satisfy six months of the world's demand for the grain?

Because the Thai government's daft scheme of paying its rice farmers far above current world prices makes the smuggling most lucrative, that's why.

Small shipments are smuggled across Thailand's porous borders, bulked together and then sold to into the Thai government's scheme as Thai-grown rice at prices much higher than Cambodian farmers would get on the world market.

Easy money for some.

But mighty costly for the Thai taxpayer as even their government admits the scheme lost at least US$4.4 billion last year.

Food Safety Cambodia

Formaldehyde Chemical Structure

A Thai consumer group claimed recently that a third of all food products sold in the kingdom are unsafe.

According to the group all sorts of nasty additives are added to food sold there, primarily to improve shelf-life.

I can't see any reason why the situation in Cambodia would be any better than in Thailand. In fact, I suspect it could be a whole lot worse.







"About one-third of the food available in the market is not safe because it often has excessive additives and chemicals, above the standard limit, and the labeling may be wrong, the Foundation for [Thai] Consumers said on Monday.

Pachara Kaewkla, of the Foundation for Consumers, said unsafe foods particularly include meat and other products from processing factories, because additives are added to extend the shelf life of the products.

He said consumers risk ingesting borax, preservative ingredients, colouring and formaldehyde from meat, while  dried foods may contain bleaching substances, colouring and pesticides. Fruits and vegetables may contain residues of insecticides.'

~ the Bangkok Post

Mango Munching

Sticky Rice and Mango:
my favourite way to eat mango

It's not apples. Nor, is it bananas.

Mangoes are the world's most-eaten fruit.

In fact they are eaten at a ratio of three to one over bananas and ten to one over apples.

Eaten green or ripe, Indians, Chinese, South Americans and Southeast Asians can't get enough of the more than 2,000 varieties of mangoes grown.

Anyone in Cambodia for even a short time would soon know that Cambodians share this love affair with the mango.

Cambodian Cooking Competency

This was a great spread!

Served for lunch during the' chicken-coop construction day', the cook did a mighty job.

It was with great pleasure that we tucked in- not just because it tasted great- but also because we have known the young woman who whipped all this up, for a long time.

She lives in the centre and has done so for years. So, she comes with a difficult past. But we've watched as first she began to take an interest in cooking and then developed the skills required to produce this banquet.

These culinary skills will serve her well; in a country where tens-of-thousands think they must go to university to get ahead, creative, confident, and competent chefs are in woefully short supply.

Far Away Takeaway

The Mount Everest restaurant is in Phnom Penh. The town of Battambang is 300 kilometres from Phnom Penh. Yet most weeks, Battambang devotees of the restaurant ring in their takeaway orders; they are desperate for a curry but living in a town without an Indian restaurant. The 'Everest' cooks and packs the food and then sends it on its way and four to six hours later the curry fix arrives.

It stays hot enough to eat on arrival say the content customers, although the onion bhaji and naan are past their best, they admit.

Turnover is soaring at the restaurant and the owner has opened another restaurant in Cambodia's capital. With happy customers such as he has, there is no need to wonder at his success.

Phnom Penh Pizza

Some of my students wanted to go out to dinner to celebrate their exam results. Usually I politely decline. But not this time; I'm ready for some more education about Cambodian food.

They make the arrangements and they almost turn up on time. And the place? The very un-Cambodian, Pizza Company. Damn! 

It's the place to go it seems and my students were desperate to know if the pizza was the same as back home. Unfortunately, it was.

Phnom Penh 'Kuy Dtiav' noodle soup

Very similar to Thai 'Kway Tiao' noodle soup, the Cambodian version costs 2500 Reil (US 60c) and is brought directly to your front door.

Two boys walk ahead of the motorised food stall alerting the neighbourhood of its presence whilst tapping musical sticks.

Lucky enough to get out onto the street in time, my nextdoor neighbour carefully ensured that the soup was made to perfection.

We had all just experienced a Phnom Penh torrential downpour from which we were drying ourselves off.

I welcomed this steaming hot soup of intestines, pork strips, fishballs, carrots, lettuce, vermicelli noodles and bean sprouts.

Phnom Penh's best latte

The Cambodia Daily reported yesterday that poor coffee harvests in Vietnam have meant increased world coffee prices. Vietnam -Cambodia's neighbour- produces half of the world's robusta beans, which are used to make instant coffee. Therefore, the price of robusta beans rose 20% in 3 days last week.

However, the  price rise has not hit Phnom Penh yet, with the best latte in town going for US$2 or, $3 if you require a large latte in a class, which I do.

Where do you find this great coffee you ask? - at Brown Bakery & Cafe on St 214. 

Cambodian Chicken

Tonight's dinner to go - courtesy of a roadside vendor.

Dipping sauce, peeled cucumber and salad greens provided free! 

Feasting Chinese New Year Style

      HAPPY CHINESE
           NEW YEAR

             Everyone!



Just like in Thailand, Cambodians are big on Chinese New Year. This is our feast had with the staff from the Centre today.


Delicious!

Coal-fired Cambodian Bread

Our local bread man delivers on a bike with a large basket attached to the back carrier. Inside the basket old wood panels divide the different breads, and a burning coal fire keeps them warm - very warm.

Ready to be ripped apart and slapped with butter.

Yum. Yum. Yum!

 I can't get enough of them and at 15 American cents (500 Cambodian Reil) they are one of Cambodia's best food bargains.

Waffles and Rubber Gloves

Ann had been sick with a mild bug for a few days and so hadn't been eating. But that has passed and now she is hungry. And a hungry Ann is a dangerous Ann. She must be feed. Immediately!

So we are at a roadside food place sipping a delicious iced coffee and looking for something to eat. Trouble is though, like many Cambodian food places it is difficult to tell just what is on the menu- either the food is hidden from sight or it's hard to tell just what the hell it is.

Nevermind, Ann has seen exactly what she is after. Waffles! Yep, waffles in this little shack of a place by the road. Perfect.

So Ann summons one of the workers: "Waffles, please."
Back comes a blank look.
"Waffles. I would like some waffles, please."
The girl doesn't undestand so Ann gets up and walks with her to the food cabinet.
"Waffles, please," she asks again, pointing at the waffles in the cabinet.
Now the girl is really confused but in excellent English she explains to this simple foreigner: "No ma'am they are not waffles that is a pair of rubber gloves."

And they were.

If you too, get your waffles confused with your rubber gloves, the gloves are displayed on the left.

Cambodian French Bread

French bread bagettes -  a tasty reminder of France's colonisation of  Cambodia, (1863-1949) are seen everywhere across Cambodia.

In Phnom Penh streets are lined with French bagette vendors, and similarly they can be seen in rows at any city market.

This cheap, crusty delight is baked fresh every day, and often the taste beats the fancier baked breads that are now available in the specialised pantries of Phnom Penh.

Served with Cambodian luncheon meat, cucumber, lettuce and fish paste, or simply on its own with a smattering of butter. Delicious!

They go well with that other great French delight- wine!

How a Chicken Rides a Moto...

I have seen scores of  dead chickens stuffed into rattan baskets on the back of motorcycles. Never had I seen a live one, though.

Seemingly it was calm but for the occasional head bob to avoid getting it knocked off by passing motos, cars and tuk-tuks.

He was hanging in there as my moto passed and turned a corner.
I wonder where he's heading?