Food & Drink - Cambodia - page 669

In the Cambodian Kitchen
Enter the Cambodian kitchen and you will learn that fine food comes from simplicity. Es-
sentials consist of a strong flame, clean water, basic cutting utensils, a mortar and pestle,
and a well-blackened pot or two.
Cambodians eat three meals a day. Breakfast is either kyteow or bobor . Baguettes are
available at any time of day or night, and go down well with a cup of coffee.
Lunch starts early, around 11am. Traditionally, lunch is taken with the family, but in
towns and cities many workers now eat at local restaurants or markets.
Dinner is the time for family bonding. Dishes are arranged around the central rice bowl
and diners each have a small eating bowl. The procedure is uncomplicated: spoon some
rice into your bowl, and lay 'something else' on top of it.
When you're ordering multiple courses from a restaurant menu, don't worry - don't
even think - about the proper succession of courses. All dishes are placed in the centre of
the table as soon as they are ready. Diners then help themselves to whatever appeals to
them, regardless of who ordered what.
Table Etiquette
Sit at the table with your bowl on a small plate, chopsticks or fork and spoon at the ready.
Some Cambodians prefer chopsticks, some prefer fork and spoon, but both are usually
available. Each place setting will include a small bowl, usually located at the top right-hand
side for the dipping sauces.
When serving yourself from the central bowls, use the communal serving spoon so as
not to dip your chopsticks or spoon into the food. To begin eating, just pick up your bowl
with your left hand, bring it close to your mouth, and spoon in the rice and food.
Some dos and don'ts:
» Do wait for your host to sit first.
» Don't turn down food placed in your bowl by your host.
» Do learn to use chopsticks.
» Don't leave chopsticks in a V-shape in the bowl, a symbol of death.
» Do tip about 5% to 10% in restaurants, as wages are low.
» Don't tip if there is already a service charge on the bill.