Cambodian Tuna Salad Recipes

CAMBODIAN GINGER CATFISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir ginger in the hot oil until slightly softened and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add catfish fillets; cook until firm, about 3 minutes per side. Remove fillets from the skillet to a plate and set aside.
• Stir fish sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce together in the skillet. Add onion and red bell pepper; cook and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Return catfish fillets to the skillet and spoon sauce and vegetables over the fillets. Continue cooking until the flesh of the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3 minutes more. Garnish with green onions to serve.

CAMBODIAN TAPIOCA-BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Place 2 cups of water in a microwave-safe dish and heat until warm in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Add the tapioca and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain in a sieve. You'll have a mushy puddle of tapioca left over.
• Pour the remaining water into a saucepan and add the drained tapioca. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until the tapioca begins to turn transparent. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.
• When the tapioca is transparent, stir in the bananas, sugar and salt. Simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes, stirring frequently. When the bananas are broken down fairly well, remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk until well blended. The tapioca pearls will become visible and the pudding will be the consistency of thick soup. Taste and adjust the sugar if desired.
• Cool to room temperature or slightly warmer. Stir again before serving.

CAMBODIAN HOT-POT BANQUET WITH VEGETABLES AND SEAFOOD

Steps:

• At least one day before serving, make the broth by placing the chickens in a large stockpot. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and skim off the foam as it rises. Cook 10 minutes. Add the lemongrass, coriander, salt and pepper. Simmer slowly for 4 hours.
• To make the dipping sauce, juice 2 of the lemons. Peel the other lemons with a paring knife, removing all peel and pith. Cut the lemon sections away from the membranes. Squeeze out the lemon remains to get all the juice. Set aside.
• Chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the lemon sections and juice and pulse to make a coarse puree. Scrape into a bowl and stir in the sugar, nuoc mam, chicken broth and chili-garlic sauce. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. (Let come to room temperature before serving.)
• Strain the broth through a fine- mesh sieve. Refrigerate overnight and skim off the fat. Place in a large pot and bring to a boil.
• Blanch the vegetables in the broth one type at a time, removing them with a slotted spoon or skimmer before adding the next group. Make sure the broth is simmering before adding the vegetables. Blanch the fennel until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; zucchini until tender, about 3 minutes; carrots until tender, about 12 minutes; asparagus until crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes; mushrooms until tender, about 3 minutes; Napa cabbage until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes, then untie; taro root until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; scallions until tender, about 5 minutes; potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes; broccoli florets until tender, about 5 minutes. The vegetables can be blanched a few hours ahead of time.
• To serve, strain the broth again and divide between 2 electric cook pots, large fondue pots or large pots that can be placed over electric hot plates.
• Arrange the vegetables and the raw seafood on platters. Spoon the dipping sauce into 8 individual shallow bowls or plates. Guests should have long-handled forks, or individual dipping baskets, soup spoons, chopsticks and soup bowls.
• At the table, heat the broth to a simmer and let guests cook the seafood and reheat the vegetables in the broth, as well as ladle some broth into their bowls.

CAMBODIAN TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the Roasted Rice Powder: Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add the rice. Cook, stirring or shaking the grains, until the rice has turned opaque and begun to take on a light golden color. Remoce from the pan and cool. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Prepare the Salad Dressing: In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. Grind the garlic and shallot in a food processor, and then add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Prepare the Salad: In a small bowl, mix the tuna and rice powder together with 4 tablespoons of the dressing. Mix the cilantro, mint, cabbage, lettuce, red pepper and onion together in a large bowl. Toss with the remaining 1 cup of salad dressing (or to taste, start with ½ cup, toss, and taste, adding as you feel appropriate). Mix in the tuna and rice powder mixture and place on serving dish, garnishing with springs of mint and cilantro.