eating in cambodia

as one might expect, both the thais and vietnamese have heavily influenced khmer cuisine. spicy, chile-laden curries, fresh spring rolls and loads of rice are common at the dinner table. while we have only been in cambodia for about a week, we did have a good chance to sample a healthy array of food while here. among our favorites was a staple dish called beef luk loc. served on most menus throughout the country, it is a sautéed beef dish loaded with garlic and green onions, served over top of fresh green tomatoes, cucumber, shaved raw onions and lettuce. of course, it comes with rice on the side and a flavorful dipping sauce of limejuice, salt, pepper and a little vinegar. a lot of versions also come with a fried egg or two on the top. we also at a lot of eggplant while here. sautéed with pork and mushrooms, roasted and pureed with minced pork, chiles, lime and fish paste or grilled, mashed and served cold with tomatoes, cucumber and onions… we saw it at our table on more than one occasion and enjoyed it every time. also, just like in vietnam, banana blossoms are a favorite salad ingredient here. often times, served with cold chicken, mint, basil, lemongrass, tomatoes and limejuice. i haven't been able to get enough of it in the last few days and can only hope to see as much of it in thailand in the coming days.