The Sandpoint Eater: Our days with Da

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

She’s back… and just in time to celebrate a new decade. It’s a milestone birthday for me, and I’ve already been shown so much love that it’s mind-boggling! It’s also been a darn good diversion because leaving my friend Da Kriel in Cambodia was a tear-filled and heart-wrenching farewell. 

As I mentioned in my last column, Da is a handsome and bright young lad I befriended on a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia, about six years ago. We’ve stayed in close contact, and he refers to me (and introduced me locally) as his “American mom.”

The author, center, with Da Kriel, left, and travel companion Jennifer Leedy, right. Courtesy photo

As with every other person I’ve met in Cambodia, Da’s family was affected by the unspeakable crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of Kampuchea. His grandfather was one of more than two million people executed by the heartless regime between 1975 and 1979. His grandmother hid in the countryside and was fortunate to survive, as many perished from starvation and disease. Da’s mother died of heart disease when he was young, and his father died of a brain injury not long after, leaving Da’s grandmother to raise him and his two brothers. 

We spent three days with Da, who rolled out the red carpet for my travel companion, Jennifer Leedy, and me. The first morning came early. He met us at our hotel, and we traveled the dark roads by tuk-tuk with our steady driver, Gus, so we could arrive in time to experience Angkor Wat at sunrise. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest religious structure in the world, initially constructed in the 12th century, and is known for its architecture and thousands of intricate bas-relief carvings. Tourists, monks and troops of monkeys crisscross the massive multi-temple complex from dawn to dusk. 

Da is a certified guide and interpreted the architecture and history every step of the way with great national pride. A person could easily spend an entire day (or more) at Angkor Wat, but we kept our visit to a short three hours as we had other temples to visit. But first, we made a stop at Angelina Jolie Restaurant #1 (each small outdoor café-stall has a unique name and signage) for a refreshing Krud beer and baguette break. While Jennifer and I added fresh vegetables to ours, Da poured generous amounts of sweetened condensed milk into his chunk of our shared loaf. The milk is a staple throughout Vietnam and Cambodia, used as a condiment for bread and beverages and as an ingredient in rice and desserts. 

The following day, we headed out with Da and Gus to visit Krobieriel, Da’s family village. Though he now lives in company housing at the hotel where he works, Da returns to his town every Sunday to teach English to the local children, as he has done for the past six years. He has also developed a walking tour, which includes a local basket weaver, food gardens, the village market and his former elementary school. 

When our tour ends, we are privileged to share lunch that Da and his brother Deth prepared at their family home. While they mainly subsist on fish, rice and vegetables, on this occasion, they splurged on a chicken. With cleaver in hand, Da deftly reduces the entire dressed chicken into bite-size pieces and stir-fries it with fresh ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, kefir lime leaves, garlic and hot basil. It was rich and fragrant, served with rice and lots of fresh local fruits and coconut water.  

Part of the joy of traveling is finding a like-minded companion who appreciates unique experiences, especially in third-world travel destinations, which can be daunting. My friend Jennifer is a perfect match. While others may be combing souvenir shops, you’ll find us searching for specialty foods in the local markets. In Cambodia, we sought out their award-winning Rumdoul Jasmine rice, Kampot peppercorns and cashews in the husk. I’m pleased to report that by leaving behind a couple of hats and a few sundries, I could pack my bag with various peppercorns and several bags of cashews. 

We’re waiting for Da to send the recipe for his fried chicken dish and hope to share it in a future column. Meanwhile, please try the recipe for Bai Krob Chanti (Cashew Rice), which I learned to make at a cooking class on a previous visit. Thanks to my fellow culinary enthusiast Jennifer, who managed to squeeze a 5-kilogram bag of rice into her suitcase, we are not lacking in ingredients. That’s my kind of travel companion! Chol Mouy!

Bai Krob Chanti Recipe (Cashew Rice)

Bai Kro Chanti is a popular Cambodian rice dish that originated in the 19th century and can be served as a main or side dish.  Yields four servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of long-grain rice

• 1 ½ cups of water

• 1/2 cup of toasted and coarsely chopped cashews

• 2 tbs of vegetable oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tbs of grated ginger

• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (freshly ground from pod, if available)              

• 1/4 tsp of ground cardamom

• Salt, to taste

• 1 tbs of fresh squeezed lime juice

• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.

In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

Heat the vegetable oil in large saucepan or frypan over medium heat.

Sauté the onion, ginger and garlic until the onion is translucent.

Add the ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom to the saucepan and stir until blended with onion mixture. 

Add the cashews, stir and then stir in the cooked rice. 

Add salt and lime juice to the saucepan and toss to combine.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.