Showing posts with label cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cambodia. Show all posts

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Classic Fish Recipes From Cambodia and Myanmar


I would like to share two simple classic fish dishes from Cambodia and Myanmar. It is an all-time favorite of mine and created for my previous restaurant Road to Mandalay.  You can substitute the white fish (the firmer, the better) with large shrimp or any seafood you have on hand.

Si Byan (Burmese Fish) in 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs cod fillet or halibut, sea bass, etc - into 1-inch chunks
1-inch chunk ginger
2 tsp turmeric powder
¼ cup of vegetable oil
3 med. tomatoes, small chunks
3 med. onions, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 inch of ginger, minced
2 tbsp sweet paprika 1 tsp hot paprika or 2 fresh chili peppers
 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
¼ cup of vegetable or fish stock
½ cup cilantro leaves (reserve some for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a mixing bowl, marinade the fish with salt, pepper and turmeric for five minutes.
2. In a frying pan, heat the oil and mix in the onion till lightly brown and add in ginger, chili (if not using paprika) and garlic till fragrant.  Add in the paprika then immediately the fish and let it seared then stir in tomatoes, liquid stock and cook for five minutes.
3. Lower the heat and add fish sauce, coriander and simmer for another
2 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Amok Fish Steamed in Coconut Shell

Cambodian Fish Amok 
Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
1lb White Fish Fillets, e.g. (Catfish, Cod, Haddock, Sole, etc)
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Red Onion, chopped

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Travel: Cambodia, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh: Beaches & Pepper Crabs

It was back in 1997 that I first went to Cambodia.  There were only a handful of small hotels that were family run and Raffle Chain Hotel was the hotel to stay at.  Then, only small, hut-like vendors were open and only for a few hours, providing very few Khmer dishes.  The seaside was not safe and walks along the beach were unheard of back them. Now, there are over 300 hotels on the popular strip in the city Siem Reap; from Starckish to affordable boutique inns.

Hotels

Amansara
A 5-star luxurious private home with secluded ambiance.

Hotel De La Paix
Another centrally located 5-star boutique hotel with a stunning architectural fusion of ancient Khmer with contemporary art exhibits.

The One Hotel
The Passage, Old Market Area
With only one suite available, you literally have the whole hotel to yourself.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Travel: Visit of the Year: Myanmar/Burma, Yangon

This year my trip takes me to an ancient city of Cambodia, as a guest of His Excellency Roland Eng for a week of Royal visit to his homeland followed by a detour visit to sleepy fishing village of Ngwe Saung by the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar.

Another week in Yangon (Rangoon), this city is the gateway to Myanmar. The century-old buildings are maintaining the heritage landscape in the midst of the city's cosmopolitan life that is rapidly growing. Always green with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon is known as the Garden City of the East.  Besides visiting the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda here are a few of my own personal favorites.

A vendor at the bay


Monday, December 12, 2011

Travel: Asia Trip 2011-2012

Holiday Greetings!  Please follow me on Twitter & Facebook for the next three weeks for travel updates for my Asia trip this year.

In mean while, I have been busy this past month with holiday events at Saffron 59 as well as being my own travel agent; planning (numerous) connecting flights, itineraries, meeting with acquaintances and booking my old friends for breakfast on Chao Praya or dinner along the Mekong riverside.

I have not been to Cambodia since 1998. My main plan is to visit  the Angkor Hospital for Children to get a private tour from William, the Executive Director. I have been on their committee for over a decade. This hospital started as a small children’s hospital.  Today, they have treated over a million patients with a visitor’s center for those who travel from the far away villages. Last time I was in Siem Reap, there were only three hotels to open and some home inns.   Since then, there are now spas, French restaurants and trendy boutiques.


Angkor Hospital for Children Photo: Daniel C. Rothenberg, www.photoasia.org

And of course a stop in Burma to visit the orphanage in Yangon that I am involved in with my parents.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Fundraiser: Friends Without a Border: Annual Photo Auction for Charity

Every year for the past 11 years, internationally acclaimed photographer, Kenro Izu, who founded Friends without a Border, has hosted a photo auction at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York.

Over 250 photo collectors, artists, photographers, and friends, among others, mark their calendar for the first week of December for this Annual Photography Auction .

I am proud to have been a participating sponsor for the past eight years along with my crew, creating different menus and themes for the reception, year after year. Along with the talented and tireless Mr. Izu and many friends of the organization, it now includes the third wing at Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia as a donor.

Because of these donations the facility is now able to treat not only children but whomever needs their help. With their extensive programs in New York City and many dedicated members around the world, this nonprofit organization is able to provide healthcare for over 350,000 out-patients every year in the surrounding villages.

Being part of this collective global aid action continues to be a heartwarming experience, and I am happy to be on the committee to assist this growing organization.

Happy New Year to you all.

Kenro Izu, Founder of Friends Without a Border