About
The flavour foundation of Khmer cooking — a hand-pounded paste made from lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, turmeric, shallots, and garlic that gives Cambodian food its distinctive warm, citrus-fragrant character. Different kroeung blends create different dishes: yellow kroeung for amok, red kroeung for spicier dishes. Made fresh daily in Cambodian kitchens using a granite mortar, the paste requires 20–30 minutes of skilled pounding. Cooking classes across Siem Reap and Phnom Penh teach visitors to make kroeung from scratch — one of the best ways to understand Khmer cuisine.