Prahok (ប្រហុក)
Fermented Fish Paste from Cambodia
Prahok (ប្រហុក) is a fermented fish paste from Cambodia. To make it, fresh fish is pounded, salted, and then fermented over the course of weeks to months. Prahok is therefore very similar to Plaa Raa from Laos and the Thai Isaan region.
The salty paste is considered a cornerstone of Khmer cuisine and is used to season a wide variety of dishes. Prahok is also sometimes simply fried, deep-fried, or grilled in banana leaves and served as a side dish or as the main ingredient alongside rice.
Its intense, pungent smell has earned Prahok the rather silly nickname “Cambodian cheese” among Europeans.