Kuy Teav for a dinner party — went down extremely well

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

prahok is a uniquely Cambodian ingredient that foreigners find challenging but locals consider essential. I explained the a Phnom Penh riverside restaurant context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. Angkor beer was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.