An ode to Samlor Korko and the women who cook it, in collaboration with Chef Nak.

Samlor Korko is a traditional Cambodian soup with a wide variety of nutritious ingredients in its composition and a recipe that integrates a lot of Cambodian history and soul. In its origin was a royal dish that could have up to 100 ingredients, now embraced by the whole population as a sort of comfort rich meal that a grandma would cook for a family lunch.

Its ingredients tell the story of Cambodian nutrition as well. It includes fish, the main source of protein in the country and so connected with the ebbs and flows of Tonle Sap lake and Mekong river, the rhythm of the seasons and intertwined livelihoods of the people living alongside them for generations. It includes Prahok, the fermented fish paste that is almost the national dish, an unique combination of flavour that serves the base for the cooking. Also Kroeung paste, the blood and bone of Cambodian cuisine, with its fragrant combination of lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, galangal, keffir lime, among others, building the heart of this recipe. And talking about nutrition, the importance of turmeric for the strengthening of our immune system can't be stressed enough. Composing the rest of the dish, lots of vegetables such as green papaya and traditionally whatever is in the farm but, king of all and essential to Samlor Korko, moringa leaves (mrum in Khmer language), a super-food that has all the micronutrients our body needs, besides tones of fiber and protein. The broth itself is enriched by Angkor Ling, or roasted rice powder, and sometimes coconut milk for added creaminess. The perfect recipe for our health and taste buds!

It’s cooked in a myriad of ways depending on goal and socio-economic background. For selling cheap on the street side and as a rich dish for a middle class family looking for providing good nutrition to its children. In this series of videos we follow Chef Nak in her journey of discovering how different women cook their Samlor Korko, a way to get to know their story and the empowering role they have in providing a nutritious meal every single day!