Recently in Kampot, I chanced upon what seemed to be a curry puff, complete with the signature green dot on the pastry skin! However, when I bit into the pastry, the filling was made with Mung Bean (which incidentally tasted sweet beneath the pastry crust).
It was then I thought about Cambodian Kuehs, and how they have an uncanny resemblance with other Southeast Asian Kuehs. Could Cambodian Kuehs share the same origins as Malaysian Kuehs? Or vice versa? Generations of changing preferences and varying living conditions could have introduced and evolved a multitude of adaptations.
Through food, we can understand a culture's traditions and history. From ingredients, preparation methods, to how a dish is presented, every element reflects the interweaving of intangible practices that we take for granted.
