Chak Chol, Fried Rice Flour Cake
A common ingredient in Asian cuisine, fried rice flour cakes come in a variety of styles! Of all the fried flour cake varieties, Bot Chien from Vietnam is perhaps my favorite. As frequent readers would know, I’m a huge fan of Vietnamese cuisine.
You can read more about Bot Chien here. Man, I miss Saigon, even if things aren’t going so well for foreigners right now with regard to visas.
However, they have made a sweet version of the fried rice flour cake in Cambodia, and I have a soft spot for Khmer desserts!
Khmer Deserts
Although I wouldn’t describe myself as a desert guy or someone with a strong sweet appetite, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the variety of strange and amazing Khmer deserts. These have included custard and pumpkin, as well as ones that are far better than you may anticipate, including duck eggs and seaweed-based Khmer jelly.
But I happened to come onto a fried rice flour cake when visiting Siem Reap to watch football!
Known also as Nom Chak Chol, Fried Rice Flour Cake
Although some people do create it, this delicious delicacy seems to be one of the most difficult Khmer delicacies to prepare. It’s basically because the dough for this fried rice flour cake is similar to pizza dough in that if you overwork it, it becomes too firm, and if you underwork it, it becomes sour. You thus need Nom Chak Chol, grilled medium, just like a steak! Well, that’s a different tale. Mine is blue.
Click this link to learn about the greatest all-you-can-eat steak in Cambodia.
What is Nom Chak Chol, and how does it taste? As for the cake itself, it’s fried rice flour cake, except it’s sweet instead of salty. Because it resembles dough, it is somewhat similar to pizza Z.
In order to cook it, you just add oil to the pan and add the dough, which already includes sugar (often palm sugar, coconut sugar, and perhaps some fruit). There are several recipes and methods for making this meal available online, including the one in the video below!
How about the taste test of the Nom Chak Chol Fried Rice Flour Cake?
Although not my favorite dessert in Cambodia, it is still rather tasty. When properly prepared, it breaks down nearly like an oily cake and is not too hard. Indeed, a greasy cake—oil and sweets don’t usually go along.
If done correctly, however, it can taste and look amazing. If in doubt, observe whether the locals are waiting in line to sample it. Although it is produced all over the world, I have a strong preference for Siem Reap!
