Siem Reap is best known for the famous Angkor temples, but there is one tourist destination that is really catching on: Bakong, My Village.
Bakong, My Village
The Bakong tourist village, located in Thnal Trang, Bakong commune, Prasat Bakong district, welcomed 200-300 visitors a day when it opened two years ago.
The concept of the tourism project is to offer an immersion experience similar to that of a rural Khmer village, while including fun activities such as walks and kayak trips.
Not forgetting, of course, the opportunity to sample typical local dishes prepared in the traditional way by local villagers. Mr Sot Sour, President of the Bakong tourism community, My Village, explains:
“The community was created to provide jobs and income for members of the community and local residents.”
“Currently, there are more than 40 Cambodians working here while receiving hotel management training”.
Cambodians in the community who grow their own vegetables and cook Khmer dishes are also allowed to sell in the community's entertainment area. During a visit, H.E. Pin Prak, vice-governor of Siem Reap, expressed his support and congratulations for this initiative:
“Jobs are being created, farmers have an opportunity to sell their produce, and it's a very family-friendly place with leisure activities for children and adults”.
Tourists visiting the tourist community of Bakong, My Village share the same sentiment, with one enthusiastic customer confiding:
“Bakong, My Village is the perfect place for a family outing. There are walks, lots of leisure areas, fresh air and great food”.
The fermented rice noodles - Num Banh Chok - are served cold and topped with a light fish sauce, accompanied by fresh herbs, vegetables and green fruit.
Typical Naum Banh Chok side dishes include snake beans, banana flower, mint, basil, water lily and pickled cucumber.
Making num banh chok noodles is a long and laborious process: fermented rice is boiled, drained and then ground by a stone mill. With the addition of a little water, the ground rice is transformed into a firm paste. This is wrapped in cloth and pressed under a heavy object, such as a large stone, to remove excess water. The dough is then boiled once more, drained and carefully pounded in a mortar and pestle until it takes on an elastic texture. The dough is kneaded again by hand and drops of water are added until it begins to take on the consistency of fresh meringue or thick whipped cream, at which point it is finally ready to be turned into noodles.
To turn the dough into noodles, it is pressed into a mould (usually a large tin can) with sieve-like holes at one end, and placed over a pan of boiling water.
The dough is pressed through the holes, and in the villages of the region this is done by sitting on a cantilevered wooden contraption that looks a bit like a one-person seesaw. Under the weight, the fresh noodles are expelled through the holes, stretching down into the boiling pot.
The noodles are quickly removed from the pot and placed in ice water before being drained and folded into the woven green leaf baskets often seen at markets and food stalls around the country.
CG & Khut Sao (AKP). Illustrations by Bakong, My Village & Khut Sao
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