As I was returning to Kampot town from a recent walk through the Cambodian countryside, I saw a place deserving further investigation.
What had caught my attention were the large bottles of "home-brewed" palm wine--a unique-tasting alcoholic drink a mototaxi driver introduced me to several years ago in Kampong Chhnang. Of course I ordered a glass.
After the drink was poured, they encouraged me to have something to eat with it. After all, they had a delectable treat.
What were they? At first I had no clue, and nobody knew the English word for its name. But I found out it was a sea creature of some sort. I think.
So I had one with my drink.
Based on its texture and what I had previously seen at a local market, I wondered if it was a large sea mollusk that acquires a flower-like shape after being cooked. But I'm not sure, and a quick online search hasn't helped me out. I'd appreciate hearing from any readers who may recognize this culinary delight.
Whatever it was, I enjoyed it with a spicy dipping sauce. After finishing it and the palm wine, I met a few of the other people there.
And was guided out to the back where they suggested photographing the view.
I am very glad I visited this provider of fine palm wine, and it was one of the highlights of a long walk. Maybe someday I'll know for sure what I ate. Later, I'll share something I ate in Cambodia that proved to be much more of a challenge because I knew exactly what it was.
What had caught my attention were the large bottles of "home-brewed" palm wine--a unique-tasting alcoholic drink a mototaxi driver introduced me to several years ago in Kampong Chhnang. Of course I ordered a glass.
After the drink was poured, they encouraged me to have something to eat with it. After all, they had a delectable treat.
What were they? At first I had no clue, and nobody knew the English word for its name. But I found out it was a sea creature of some sort. I think.
So I had one with my drink.
Based on its texture and what I had previously seen at a local market, I wondered if it was a large sea mollusk that acquires a flower-like shape after being cooked. But I'm not sure, and a quick online search hasn't helped me out. I'd appreciate hearing from any readers who may recognize this culinary delight.
Whatever it was, I enjoyed it with a spicy dipping sauce. After finishing it and the palm wine, I met a few of the other people there.
And was guided out to the back where they suggested photographing the view.
I am very glad I visited this provider of fine palm wine, and it was one of the highlights of a long walk. Maybe someday I'll know for sure what I ate. Later, I'll share something I ate in Cambodia that proved to be much more of a challenge because I knew exactly what it was.
Your mollusc looks like Abalone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abalone)
ReplyDeleteThe abalones I have tried were a different shape. They didn't have such a prominent protuberance. And I didn't see abalones for sale elsewhere in Cambodia. But I can't say for sure what I ate wasn't a type of abalone.
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