 Prahok wrapped in banana leaves and grilled and served with fresh green vegetables and steamed rice. | |||||||
| Alternative names | prahoc,prohok,prohoc | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of origin | Cambodia | ||||||
| Region or state | Southeast Asia | ||||||
| Associatedcuisine | Cambodian | ||||||
| Main ingredients | fermented fish, salt | ||||||
| 125 kcal (523kJ) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Similar dishes | ngapi,bagoong,pla ra,padaek | ||||||
Prahok (/ˈprɑːhʊk/;Khmer:ប្រហុក,romanized: prâhŏk,IPA:[prɑːhok]) is asalted andfermentedfish paste (usually ofmudfish) used inCambodian cuisine as aseasoning or acondiment. It originated as a way of preserving fish during the time of the year when fresh fish was not available in abundant supply. Because of its saltiness and strong flavor, it was used as an addition to many meals inCambodian cuisine, including soups and sauces.[1]
A Cambodian saying goes, "Noprahok, no salt," referring to a dish lacking in flavour, highlighting its essentiality in Cambodian cuisine.
Prahok has a strong and distinctodor reminiscent ofLimburger or ripeCamembert,[2] which has earned it the nickname "Cambodian cheese".[3][4]Prahok is usually eaten as a main course withwhite rice and vegetables such asyardlong beans, cucumbers,winged beans and a variety ofeggplants.
Prahok is sometimes distributed as a donation to victims of flood or drought by charities and other organizations.
Prahok is made with various fish and methods of fermentation. Fish used include snakeheads (Channa spp.) and moonlight gourami (Trichogaster microlepis).
Prahok is obtained by crushing or grinding fresh fish after de-scaling, gutting and cleaning them. After the fish is crushed, it is left in the sun for a full day, then salted. Theprahok is fermented in large clay jars covered with a lid made of woven bamboo strips. The prahok can be eaten after only 20 days of fermentation, but the best quality prahok is left to ferment for up to three years.
Prahok can be prepared and served in several different ways. Below are dishes where prahok is the main component.
Prahok chien (ប្រហុកចៀន[prɑːhokciən]) It is usually mixed with meat (usually beef or pork) and chilli peppers. It can also be eaten as a dip, accompanied by vegetables like cucumbers or eggplants, and rice.
Prahok kab (ប្រហុកកប់[prɑːhokkɑp]) orprahok ang (ប្រហុកអាំង[prɑːhokʔaŋ]), types ofprahok that are covered withbanana leaves and left to cook under pieces of rock beneath a fire or over the coals.
Prahok chhau (ប្រហុកឆៅ[prɑːhokcʰaw]) is a type ofprahok can be used to make a paste withlemon grass,lime juice, freshpeppers, andeggplant eaten with (usually cooked rare) beef steak. Also, this is the type ofprahok preferably used as a dipping paste for vegetables and fruits.
Early fermentationprahok contains 334 g/kg of protein, which decreases to 248–249 g/kg after one month due toproteolysis. The predominantamino acids inprahok areglutamic acid (1.49–2.93 g/kg),alanine (1.75–2.9 g/kg),valine (1.23–1.83 g/kg),leucine (2.27–3.40 g/kg), andlysine (1.13–3.67 g/kg). Unlikekapi andteuk trey,prahok does not contain a high concentration ofaspartic acid. The most commonorganic acids inprahok areacetic acid (2.29–7.24 g/kg),lactic acid (0.39–1.14 g/kg) andsuccinic acid (0.30–1.26 g/kg).[5]
The early fermentationprahok has a high content of crude fat (151 g/kg), which drops significantly (to 1.7–10.7 g/kg) after degutting in later stages. Due to thedecomposition offish bone and other structures by microorganisms during thefermentationprahok has a greater content ofcalcium andphosphorus than the fresh fish used.[5]
Its smell has earned it the nickname "Cambodian cheese" in The Elephant Walk kitchen, and its odor is reminiscent of Limburger or ripe Camembert.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
| Fish sauce |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Fish paste | ||
| List articles | ||
| Fish | |
|---|---|
| Shellfish | |
| Other seafood | |
| Processed seafood | |
| Seafood dishes | |
| Health hazards | |
| Advisory services | |
| Animal welfare | |
| Related topics | |
