''Prahok'' (; , ) is a salted and fermented fish paste (usually of mudfish) used in

Cambodian cuisine Cambodian cuisine is the national cuisine of Cambodia. It reflects the varied culinary traditions of different ethnic groups in Cambodia, central of which is Khmer cuisine (, ), the nearly-two-thousand-year-old culinary tradition of the Khmer pe ...

as a

seasoning Seasoning is the process of supplementing food via herbs, spices, and/or salts, intended to enhance a particular flavour. General meaning Seasonings include herbs and spices, which are themselves frequently referred to as "seasonings". Salt may ...

or a

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the Flavoring, flavour, to complement the dish or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant ...

. 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 in

, including soups and sauces. A Cambodian saying goes, "No ''prahok'', no salt," referring to a dish lacking in flavour, highlighting its essentiality in Cambodian cuisine. ''Prahok'' has a strong and distinct

odor An odor (American English) or odour ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is a smell or a scent caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds generally found in low concentrations that humans and many animals can perceive ...

reminiscent of Limburger or ripe

Camembert Camembert ( , , ) is a moist, soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese. It was first made in the late 18th century in Camembert, Normandy, in northwest France. It is sometimes compared in look, taste and texture to brie cheese, albe ...

, which has earned it the nickname "Cambodian cheese". ''Prahok'' is usually eaten as a main course with

white rice White rice is milled rice that has had the husk, bran, and germ removed. This alters the flavor, texture and appearance of the seed; helps prevent spoilage (extends its storage life); and makes it easier to digest. After brown rice is milled ...

and vegetables such as yardlong beans, cucumbers, winged beans and a variety of eggplants. ''Prahok'' is sometimes distributed as a donation to victims of flood or drought by charities and other organizations.

Varieties and production

''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. The ''prahok'' 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'' dishes

''Prahok'' can be prepared and served in several different ways. Below are dishes where prahok is the main component.

Sautéed ''prahok''

''Prahok chien'' ( ) 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.

Covered ''prahok''

''Prahok kab'' ( ) or ''prahok ang'' ( ), types of ''prahok'' that are covered with

banana leaves The banana leaf is the leaf of the banana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle. The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrappin ...

and left to cook under pieces of rock beneath a fire or over the coals.

Raw ''prahok''

''Prahok chhau'' ( ) is a type of ''prahok'' can be used to make a paste with lemon grass, lime juice, fresh peppers, and

eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

eaten with (usually cooked rare) beef steak. Also, this is the type of ''prahok'' preferably used as a dipping paste for vegetables and fruits.

Chemical composition

Early fermentation ''prahok'' contains 334 g/kg of protein, which decreases to 248–249 g/kg after one month due to

proteolysis Proteolysis is the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids. Protein degradation is a major regulatory mechanism of gene expression and contributes substantially to shaping mammalian proteomes. Uncatalysed, the hydrolysis o ...

. The predominant

amino acids Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the Proteinogenic amino acid, 22 α-amino acids incorporated into p ...

in ''prahok'' are

glutamic acid Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; known as glutamate in its anionic form) is an α- amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can ...

(1.49–2.93 g/kg),

alanine Alanine (symbol Ala or A), or α-alanine, is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an amine group and a carboxylic acid group, both attached to the central carbon atom which also carries a methyl group sid ...

(1.75–2.9 g/kg),

valine Valine (symbol Val or V) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α- amino group (which is in the protonated −NH3+ form under biological conditions), an α- carboxylic acid group (which is in the deproton ...

(1.23–1.83 g/kg),

leucine Leucine (symbol Leu or L) is an essential amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Leucine is an α-amino acid, meaning it contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH3+ form under biological conditions), an α-Car ...

(2.27–3.40 g/kg), and

lysine Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. Lysine contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), an α-carboxylic acid group ( ...

(1.13–3.67 g/kg). Unlike '' kapi'' and '' teuk trey'', ''prahok'' does not contain a high concentration of

aspartic acid Aspartic acid (symbol Asp or D; the ionic form is known as aspartate), is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. The L-isomer of aspartic acid is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids, i.e., the building blocks of protei ...

. The most common

organic acid An organic acid is an organic compound with acidic properties. The most common organic acids are the carboxylic acids, whose acidity is associated with their carboxyl group –COOH. Sulfonic acids, containing the group –SO2OH, are re ...

s in ''prahok'' are

acetic acid Acetic acid , systematically named ethanoic acid , is an acidic, colourless liquid and organic compound with the chemical formula (also written as , , or ). Vinegar is at least 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main compone ...

(2.29–7.24 g/kg),

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has the molecular formula C3H6O3. It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as wel ...

(0.39–1.14 g/kg) and

succinic acid Succinic acid () is a dicarboxylic acid with the chemical formula (CH2)2(CO2H)2. In living organisms, succinic acid takes the form of an anion, succinate, which has multiple biological roles as a metabolic intermediate being converted into fum ...

(0.30–1.26 g/kg). The early fermentation ''prahok'' 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 the

decomposition Decomposition is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is ess ...

of fish bone and other structures by microorganisms during the

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

''prahok'' has a greater content of

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

and

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol P and atomic number 15. All elemental forms of phosphorus are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive and are therefore never found in nature. They can nevertheless be prepared ar ...

than the fresh fish used.

References

External links

* Ly Vanna and Moul Jet (March 2002)
The Story of Prahok
Leisure Cambodia (Volume 2, No. 3) * Suy Se (January 19, 2007)
Got fish? It's Prahok season in Cambodia
ThingsAsian {{portal bar, Food Cambodian cuisine Fish sauces Umami enhancers Food paste