Banh Chiao for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Banh Chiao for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The delicate and herbal profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced kroeung lemongrass paste used that way before.

Cambodian cuisine shares roots with Thai and Vietnamese cooking but has its own distinct identity shaped by Khmer culture. I explained the a traditional home kitchen context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. sugarcane juice was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.