Siem Reap...ing the rewards

A short flight from Phnom Penh we escape the chaos to Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat. For our first afternoon we have a range of options: quad biking, zip lining or a cooking class. Tracey having done the first two just a couple of months ago in Costa Rica, we opt for a Cambodian cooking class.

Before donning our chef hats and aprons we walk through the local market to familiarise ourself with the produce.  We are hoping that the chef purchased his ingredients much earlier in the day than the items festering in the 36oC heat and humidity, the flies certainly thought the meat items looked okay. 

Chef required that we get in uniform. Pretty snappy, huh?

The first course, rice paper rolls. Okay, we've made these before - but we did learn that softening them in cold, rather than hot, water makes them tear less.

Second course: fish amok, the ubiquitous dish of Cambodia. We'd been a bit underwhelmed by the various examples we'd sampled, and even though this was better it was still pretty plain. We have plans to razz it up a bit back home though, by introducing the inexplicably-omitted garlic and chilli we believe it needs.

Third course: caramelised ladyfinger bananas with passionfruit and honey. This was pretty good, but will be improved with rum in the future.

We're now qualified in elementary Khmer cooking.

On the way back to our hotel, Tracey made a second meal: this time, of herself, for little fish that like to nibble on human feet. Apparently not as horrifying as she and Noel, one of our tour group, give the impression of.