A Wok Around Asia Recipe from Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort, Cambodia
I didn’t get a chance to visit Sihanoukville during my first Wok Around Asia jaunt, but I had the opportunity to taste one of its well-known dishes, Sihanoukville Cuttlefish, at Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort’s Lok Lak Restaurant. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Chanrith Van, who’s one of the most talented Khmer chefs on the scene today, and it is amazing.
By the way, I’ve since attempted this during one of my Live Asian Kitchen broadcasts (I’ll post about it separately later) and even minus some of the local ingredients, eg. the kampot peppercorns and edible flowers, it tasted fantastic, so don’t let that put you off from attempting this at home using what you can find here in Australia.
Green Kampot Peppercorns
Here’s the video on how it’s made, followed by the full recipe below >>
Sihanoukville Cuttlefish
INGREDIENTS:
2 Cuttlefish, about 180g each
2 TBSP pepper & lemongrass marinade
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP Koh Kong Dressing
1 ea red radish, shaved
10 g fresh green Kampot peppercorn
1 TBSP pumpkin puree
5g red, yellow, pink needle flower
1 TBSP crushed peanuts
METHOD:
- Clean cuttlefish and remove heads. Score the cuttlefish on one side, and skewer with bamboo sticks along the length of the other side.
- Marinate with pepper & lemongrass mix for 10 minutes.
- Heat the wok until smoking hot, then sear the cuttlefish until a nice golden colour.
- Remove bamboo skewers and cut the cuttlefish tubes into 3 pieces each.
- Smear plate with 1 TBSP pumpkin puree.
- Arrange cuttlefish on top, then spoon 1 TBSP Koh Kong dressing over them.
- Garnish with flowers, radish and crushed peanuts, then serve.
Pumpkin Puree
INGREDIENTS:
30g olive oil
580g pumpkin
1 ¼ TBS fine salt
450ml water
1 ¼ TBS sugar
METHOD:
- Peel and cut the pumpkin into thin slices.
- Heat oil in a saucepan, then add the pumpkin and cook until soft.
- Add salt, sugar and water and bring to a boil.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until soft, then pass through a sieve.
- Allow to cool, then store in refrigerator until use.
Pepper & Lemongrass Marinade
INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp crushed black pepper
20g green kampot pepper, crushed (or replace with black peppercorns)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2g lemongrass, chopped
¼ tsp red hot chili, julienned
1 kaffir lime leaf, julienned
30ml extra virgin olive oil (or any kind of cooking oil)
½ tsp fine salt
METHOD:
- Combine all ingredients. This marinade is suitable for seafood, beef or chicken.
Koh Kong Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
70g red large chillies, deseeded, chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bird’s eye chili, chopped
80g white sugar
20ml white vinegar
70ml fish sauce
46ml fresh lime juice
40g sweet chili sauce
3g fine salt
METHOD:
1. Pound chillies and garlic into a rough paste with a mortar and pestle.
2. Add all the other ingredients, mix well, then transfer into a bowl.
My Wok Around Asia Siem Reap trip was made possible through the support of the following –
