''Num ansom'' (, , ) or simply ''ansom'' is a traditional Khmer

sticky rice Sticky may refer to: Adhesion *Adhesion, the tendency of dissimilar particles or surfaces to cling to one another *Sticky mat, an adhesive mat used in cleanrooms to lessen contamination from footwear *Sticky note, a generic term for a Post-it Note ...

cake.

Description

It is described as a cylinder-shaped cake made from

glutinous rice Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals. Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...

that can either be filled with sugar bananas (, ),

jackfruit The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...

s (, ), or

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

(, ). In addition to steaming ''num ansom'' can also be fried or grilled depending on the occasion.

Cultural significance

The linga-yoni of Khmer gastronomy

When Cambodia's temple-building traditions died out, so too did the architectural manifestations of Shiva

Lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...

and

Yoni ''Yoni'' (Sanskrit: योनि, ), sometimes called ''pindika'', is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu goddess Shakti. It is usually shown with ''linga'' – its masculine counterpart. Together, they symbolize the merging ...

. Nonetheless, the concept of ''Mea Ba'', or the respect of mother and father, persisted, and is still present in Khmer gastronomy. Thus, these two cakes are indispensable components of the Khmer traditional wedding. ''Num ansom'' is associated in Khmer culture with a banana leaf-wrapped steamed counterpart, the '' num kom.'' The cylinder shape of the ''num ansom'' represents a

phallus A phallus (: phalli or phalluses) is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history, a figure with an erect penis is described as ''ithyphallic''. Any object that symbo ...

, symbolizing

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, the masculine principle of God, while the pyramid shape of the ''num kom'' symbolizes the

Uma Uma may refer to: Religion * Uma (goddess), a Hindu goddess also known as Parvati or Gauri People * Uma (given name), including a list of people with the name * Uma (actress) (Uma Shankari, fl from 2000), Indian actress Nature * ''Uma'' (liza ...

, his consort. In popular Khmer culture, the cakes represent the two heads of the household. In 2015, the provocative pop star Neay Koeun released a comedic song called 'Darling! You Throw My Num Ansom Away and Go Eat Baguette' in which the phallic attribute of the food was a suggestive dominant theme.

In Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben

Sticky rice cakes are given as offerings to the

manes In ancient Roman religion, the ''Manes'' (, , ) or ''Di Manes'' are chthonic deities sometimes thought to represent souls of deceased loved ones. They were associated with the '' Lares'', '' Lemures'', '' Genii'', and '' Di Penates'' as deities ...

of the ancestors on Pchum Ben to gain their blessing to the rice fields. At the same time, the ''nom ansom'' is also typical for the Khmer New Year, as recorded in the novel of Khmer author Vaddey Ratner. In some ways, it is the ''manes'' of ancestors, both of the individual families, remembered during Pchum Ben, and of the

Khmer people The Khmer people (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: , Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization Tables, ALA-LC: ) are an Austroasiatic ethnic group native to Cambodia. They comprise over 95% of Cambodia's population of 17 million.https ...

as a whole, remembered during the Khmer New Year.

Biggest ''num ansom'' in the world

During Angkor Sankranta event at Siem Reap in April back in 2015, Cambodia broke the Guinness World Record of the Largest Sticky Rice Cake. The cake weighted 4 tons (4,040 kg). It took about 100 Khmer chefs and almost two days to cook and was approved by the

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...

as the biggest cake in the world on the 13th April 2015 during the

Khmer New Year Cambodian New Year (or Khmer New Year; ), also known as Choul Chnam Thmey (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ), Moha Sangkran (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ) or Sangkran, is the traditional celebration of the solar new year in Cambodia. A three-day public ho ...

. Political commentators were critical of this world record seeing in it a political stunt or a "recipe for youth appeal", as the sticky rice cake was produced after long street protests and a parliamentary boycott over the results of the

2013 Cambodian general election General elections were held in Cambodia on 28 July 2013. The National Election Committee (NEC) announced that some 9.67 million Cambodians were eligible to cast their ballots to elect the 123-seat National Assembly. Voter turnout was reported t ...

References

External links

{{Cambodian cuisine Cambodian cuisine Khmer language Stuffed dishes Rice cakes