Khmer Supporter

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Buddhism: The majority of people of Cambodia are followers of Theavada, or Hinayana, Buddhism.Buddhism was introduced to Cambodia between 13th and 14th centuries and was the state religion until 1975. The Theravada school is also called the "southern" school as it took the southern route from India. its place of origin, through South-East Asia - in this case Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia - while the "northern school proceeded north into Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam and Japan. Because the southern school tried to preserve or limit the Buddhist doctrines to only those canons codified in the early Buddhist era, the northern school gave Theravada Buddhism the name Hinayana, meaning the "Lesser Vehicle". The norther school considered itself Mahayana, the "Grant Vehicle", because it built upon the earlier teachings, "expanding" the doctrine to respond more to the needs of lay people, or so it claimed. Theravada doctrine stresses the three principal aspects of existence: Tukha (suffering, unsatisfactory, disease), Anicha (impermanence, transience of all things) and annatto (no substantiation or no essential of reality, no permanent "soul"). These concepts, when "discovered"by Siddhartha Gautama in the 6th century BC, were in direct contrast to the Hindu belief in eternal, blissful Self, or Paramatman, hence Buddhism was originally a "heresy"against India's Brahmanic religion. Gautama, an Indian price turned ascetic, subjected himself to many years of severe austerities to arrive at this vision of the world and was given the title Buddha, "the Enlightened" or "the Awakened". Gautama Buddha spoke of four noblr truths, which had the power to liberate any human being who could realize them. Between 1975 to 1979 the vast majority of Cambodia's buddhist monks were murdered by the Khmer Rouge and virtually all of the country's more than 3,000 Wats were damaged or destroyed. In the late 1980s Buddhism was again made the state religion. At that time, Cambodia had about 6,000 monks, who by law had to be at least 60 years old. The age requirements have been relaxed and young monks are once again a normal sight, Hinduism, Islam, Caodaism and Christianity are also practices in Cambodia.

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Life of Buddha

BUDDHIST FLAG

Buddhism shall be the State religion (Chapter III, article 43 of the institution of Kingdom of Cambodia). What does the Buddhist flag symbilize? What does each colour represent?

There are six colours on the flag:
1. Blue: signifying the concept of loving kindness and peace in Buddhism.
2. Yellow: signifying the Middle Path, that is, the complete absence of form and emptiness A mind free from greed, anger and ignorance.
3. Red: signifying achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune and dignity.
4. White : signifying purity, emancipation, that the Dharma will always exist regardless of time or space.
5. Orange: The essence of Buddhism which is full of wisdom, strength and dignity.
6. The combination of these five colours symbolizes that it is the one and only Truth.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Num Banh Chok

- Num Banh Chok Kampot: Rice Noodles Kampot Style

This simple dish, originated in Kampot province, but is appreciated nationwide. This is freestyle dining where all the ingredients are prepared and placed in the centre of the table in separate bowls and everyone helps themselves according to their taste.

Ingredients:
500g rice noodles
200g dried shrimps
4 cups coconut milk
2 cups ripe pineapple
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cucumber
2 cups chi

Sauce:

2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 cloves garlic, slices thinly
2 shallots, sliced thinly

How to cook:
Put the dried shrimps in water and while they soak prepare the fruit and vegetables.
Cut the pineapple into small chunks, julienne the cucumber, top and tail the bean sprouts and remove the chi from the stems.
Place each ingredient into a separate bowl.
Then drain the shrimps and pound coarsely in a clay mortar, before placing in a bowl.
Next warm the coconut milk and again place in a bowl.
Make the sauce by mixing the water, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce with the thinly sliced garlic and shallots,
Then arrange the cold rice noodles in the center of table with the smaller bowl around.
The dish is eaten by first taking noodles and coconut milk, and then adding others ingredients according to your taste.
The sauce is spooned on top of the noodle dish last of all.

- Num Banh Chok Nam Ya: Rice Noodles with Red Curry

Ingredients:

rice noodles
300g catfish
1tbsp Prahok
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Kroeung:

30g lemon grass stalk. sliced thinly
1 tbsp galangal, cut small
1 tbsp rhizome, cut small
1tbsp turmeric, cut small
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, crushedal and rhime
1 tbsp dried red chilli, soaked and chopped
1 tbsp salt
1tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
6 kaffir lime leaves

How to cook

First make the Kroeung in a clay mortar. Pound the lemon grass stalk with the turmeric and when smooth add the galangal and rhizome.
Continue pounding then follow with the garlic and shallots. Finally add the dried red chilli and pound lightly. Let the Kroeung stand in the mortar.
In a pan boil the catfish in 2 cups of water. When cooked, remove the skin and bones, and crumble into flakes. Reserve the broth for later. Add the fish flakes to the mortar and pound with the Kroeung into a smooth and consistent texture.
Boil the coconut cream over a medium-low heat, and when it starts to bubble, stir in the Kroeung-fish mixture. Allow 5 minutes for the fish-Kroeung to blend with the coconut cream.
When well mixed, bring to the boil and season with salt, sugar and fish sauce.
Then take the fish broth and boil. Place the Prahok in a sieve and plunge into the boiling soup, then scrape with a spoon so the flesh flavors the soup. Discard the skin and bones.
Add the fish soup to the coconut curry and mix in the torn up kaffir lime leaves. Boil for 5 minutes then serve over rice noodles with lime slices, basil and bean sprouts on side.