Kroeung
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Simply put, Kroeung is the main flavoring agent that distinguishes Khmer dishes from neighboring Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. There are many ingredients that can be pounded into the herb paste, but the eight most commonly used are Lemon grass, Kaffir lime zest and leaves, Galangal, Turmeric, Rhizome, Garlic, Shallots, and Dried Red Chillies[1].
In general Kroeung has two main categories of division: Individual Kroeung and Royal Kroeung.[2] Individual Kroeung are specifically for unique dishes which may call for extra ingredients be blended in.[2] Royal Kroeung on the other hand includes additional herbs like kaffir lime leaves.[2] Further classifying Kroeung is to distinguish each one based on color that ranges from yellow, green, to red. The Color Kroeung are commonly used to make stuffings, soup, and stir-fry.[2]
This herbal paste is the base flavor of countless Khmer dishes[3], often being dubbed with the "Kroeung" suffix. Kroeung (គ្រឿង) is a must for preparing authentic Khmer dishes as well, as there is no sufficient substitute that can match its unique flavor.
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[edit] Individual Kroueng
Kroeung that are pounded for specific single dishes or have only one unique use falls into this category. Individual Kroeung also consists of extra ingredients not found in its base recipe. Somlar Kako, for example, requires roasted ground rice for the smoky flavor of the soup. The Kroeung in Amok is considered an Individual Kroeung since it uses the the red kroeung base but omits Turmeric in place of Kaffir lime leaves. It is also worth noting that many Kroeung recipies, specifically for curries, requires whole spices to be grounded with the herb paste. Curry powder can also be used in place of the whole spices. These types of Kroeung are also considered as Individual Kroeung because many of these curries are exclusively used in the respective curry for which it is specifically made.
[edit] Royal Kroeung
Royal Kroeung is used for royal dishes. The difference between Royal and Individual Kroeung is the extra ingredient used to make the paste, Chinese Parsley and Kaffir Lime leaves[1]. This does not conclude that all Royal Kroeung requires the two extra ingredients, but it is only an additional or substituted herb to the original recipe.
On the contrary, Cambodians living abroad use Kaffir lime leaves instead of Kaffir lime zest, which is actually the whole lime rind that has been sun-dried, due to the unavailability of the actual Kaffir lime fruit on the market.[4]
[edit] Color Kroeung
There are three distinct colors that all Kroeung can be categorized into according to main base ingredients used for the recipe and the final color outcome of the Kroeung after being cooked; Red, Green, and Yellow. A certain color is given off by the dominant herb or spice present in the spice-blend paste for each of the three different color Kroeung.[2] Uncooked Kroeung will often result in different colors after being cooked.
The list of ingredients in these Color Kroeung will vary from recipe to recipes. These portions of ingredients are mainly used for the purposes of achieving their respective colors.
[edit] Red Kroeung
គ្រឿងក្រហម Kroeung Kraharm or Red Kroeung in Khmer, receives its deep color from chilli pods while contributing very little flavor to the Kroeung. This desirable trait of adding a natural red color from the pulp of the chilli makes it especially more useful than red peppers but since red pepper are extremely spicy they are ideal for actual use in the spice paste.
Lemongrass stalk is specifically used in this paste because the leaf of the lemongrass will emit natural green coloring that could overpower the entire food color while in the cooking stage of the kroeung. The lemongrass stalk is a pale biege color, so it easily takes on the dominant red hues from the red peppers.
- Lemongrass stalk
- Turmeric
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Galangal
- Dried red pepper
[edit] Preparation Method
There are many ingredients that require advanced preparation prior to pounding the herbs and spices to make this specific Kroeung.
- Soak, deseed, and drain the excess water from the chilli pod and dried red pepper.
- Thinly slice the lemongrass stalk and small dice the fresh galangal into cubes. If using fresh or brine-soaked turmeric, small dice this as well.
- If using Kaffir lime zest, slice into thin strips. If using the Kaffir lime leaves, devein and chop thinly. Slice the garlic and shallot thinly.
1. In a stone mortar, finely pound the kaffir lime leaves or zest till a smooth consistency is reached. Add the soaked chilli pod and red peppers till the paste becomes bright red in color.
2. Add the chopped lemongrass stalk, cubed galangal and pound with the pestle until all ingredients are incorperted. If using fresh turmeric, add it to stone mortar as well. The texture should feel fibery but moist.
3.Next add the garlic and shallots til the entire mixture is blood-red in color and the texture feels somewhat pliable.
4. Lastly fold the tumeric into the kroeung if using the powdered form.
[edit] Green Kroeung
- Lemongrass, leaf : stalk, 3:1
- Rhizome
- cinnamon
- Galangal
- Turmeric
- Prahok (optional)
[edit] Yellow Kroeung
- Turmeric
- Lemongrass, stalk
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Galangal
[edit] References
- ^ a b Thaitawat, Nusara (2000). The Cuisine of Cambodia. Bangkok, Thailand: Nusara and Friends Co. Ltd., p. 47-48. ISBN 974-87788-5-1.
- ^ a b c d e Thaitawat, Nusara (2000). The Cuisine of Cambodia. Bangkok, Thailand: Nusara and Friends Co. Ltd., p. 44. ISBN 974-87788-5-1.
- ^ Cambodian Cooking Class What makes Cambodian Cuisine different Accessed July 21, 2007.
- ^ De Monteiro, Longteine; Neustadt, Katherine (1998). The Elephant Walk Cookbook. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, p.296. ISBN 0-395-89253-8.
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