Before we started our cookery class at Nary’s Kitchen, we were given an educational tour of Battambang’s Central Market. I had sworn off markets for a while, but I was eager to discover more about the flavor profiles. I read on more than one occasion how travelers find Cambodian cuisines boring after they’re palettes have gotten used to the spicer Thai and Vietnam dishes. But although Cambodian dishes are served milder on the heat scale than it’s neighbors, there’s always some hot sauce within easy reach.
And just because dishes are served without that spicy kick, it doesn’t mean they’re tasteless. They have a depth of flavor that comes from their fermented sauces and ground pastes made from spices, herbs, and root vegetables.
Cambodians adapted the art of blending spices into a paste using many ingredients like cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and turmeric. Other native ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, cilantro, and kaffir lime leaves are added to this mix to make a distinctive and complex spice blend called “kroeung.” This is an important aromatic paste commonly used in Cambodian cooking. Wikipedia
Battambang Central Market
We started off our market tour in the safety-zone of the spices and vegetable section, where traders were selling the individual ingredients or bags of pre-mixed kroeung paste.
Most of the traders didn’t bat an eye as we walked by. They’ve become accustomed to the daily stream of westerners smelling, and tasting food samples, and snappy photos with wild abandon.
We’d already seen examples of French culinary influences with the bakeries and baguettes in Siem Reap, and the frogs legs prepped and ready, seemed to be just another example.
The nearby river we’d traveled along by boat just two day before, provided an endless supply of fish that was being descaled a gutted for eager customers.
I just love this photo of the organized chaos of Battambang Central Market, and how this little boy just took the surrounding activities in his stride with bored nonchalance.
As we ventured inside the market we navigated through the the area shelling coconuts and extracting the coconut milk, a staple ingredient in the coconut curries. A laborious task that could probably have benefited from a few health and safety rules.
Then finally we headed to the dreaded fresh meat hall, where the familiar smell of rotting flesh teased our nostrils into submission.
There’s very little refrigeration available in these parts of Cambodia, so meat will only last a short while in it’s fresh, raw stage, and then it has to be turned into preserved sausages, that are a nuclear shade of red.
I can only imagine that the sense of smell of the ladies and gents manning the meat stalls must be deadened to the eye-watering aroma this meat hall emanates. It coats your nostrils and forces you to breath through your mouth, but even that technique can’t dispel the lingering stench of death.As each day passes, we thankfully sink deeper and deeper into the comfort of our vegetarian haze. It’s interesting to see these markets, but how the nation hasn’t been wiped out by food poisoning is beyond belief.
Getting to the Central Market (Phase Naht)
You can’t miss Central market, it’s housed in an Art Deco Building, which was planned by the same French engineers who built the Central Markets in Phnom Penh and Saigon.
It’s located between Road #1 and Road #3, in the heart of the city center.
Even if you don’t venture inside the market, you’ll end up walking past it multiple times during your stay in Battambang, because like Rome, all roads lead to it.
Now that we have this market under our belt, I think I’m swearing off market visits again. Well, until we get to Phnom Penh at least.
Despite the aromas and sights of these local markets, they provide a glimpse into daily life, that was lost for years to progress, in the western towns and cities I’ve been living in. But the resurgence of farmer’s markets in the UK and the US, just goes to show that these central markets where the community gets together to buy food, chat with neighbors, and catch up on local news is the cornerstone of a vibrant society.
[bctt tweet=”Want to know what they sell at #Battambang Central Market? We had a tour before our cookery class, and it was interesting to learn about #Cambodian Culinary influences. #TravelBlogger” username=”BirdsOAFpress”]
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That axe in the first picture is a bit hard core for meat preparation. Don’t think I’d trust myself with it.
It gets the job done Annie!
The market where you have the vegetables look so nice and is so colorful. But I do not love the sight of the non vegetables section. Except of course fish markets. It was nice learning about how they make kroeung in Cambodia used for their cooking.
Learning about kroeung was a highlight of this day at the market, and then we got to practice it in our cooking class. If we’d visited the market on our own, we wouldn’t have learned so much.
I love when a cooking class starts with a market visit. A great way to learn about the local seasonal foods. The colour and smells always draw me into the markets like the Battambang’s Central Market. And we often find new foods to try.
It’s a great opportunity to get your questions answered. So many of the locals don’t speak English, so it’s good to have a guide who can explain things, so that when you visit the next market on your own, you know what you’re looking at.
Battambang Central Market looks like a very happening spot. I was hoping to visit Cambodia later this year, but it’s hard to say now. At least I can get a taste from your post and photos. I love the one of the little boy in the middle of all the hustle and bustle!
The Cambodian markets were always hives of activity. Organized chaos, and the colors, sounds and smells and assault on your senses.
I’ve always been fascinated by local markets, I just came back from Vietnam and liked checking out each stall and chatting with the vendors. Such cool places to get to mingle with locals and get to now authentic ingredients!
We bought a good selection of herbs from Cambodia to take back with us to Turkey, but I must admit we’ve only used a few of them so far. But I do open the jars every now and then to get transported back to our travels.
This was quite a cultural experience that you don’t often hear about. I’m very passionate about cooking and I’d like to learn the art of blending spices. I visited many local markets, but the one in Battambang seems kind of messy: too much blood and intestines around, lol!
The stall holders have good butchering skills, but the big pools of blood and the smell make the meat section just too overwhelming to be enjoyable.
Ah! I love seeing markets with spices and produce, but I can’t even imagine your description of the meat area. I would totally have to avoid that section – it would really nauseate me. They certainly do have some strange meats, but the market is a colorful place to be!
Markets are vibrant places full of noise and organized chaos, no matter what country I’m in, I always seek them out.
Battambang Central Market looks like an interesting spot where you can really get insight into the local life. I hope to visit Cambodia at some point next year. I would love to see this market, though I would pass on the meat / fish section as unfortunately I cannot stand the sight of animal blood.
The sight isn’t the most awful thing … it’s the smell! A real assault on your senses.
Markets give a close view of the local lifestyle. It is chaotic, disorganised and smelly, yet so much to see and explore around. I love visiting local markets in any destination. And, if you are a food enthusiast, markets need to be explored to understand the culineray scene of the people. Loved a few photos of Battambang’s Central Market.
I completely agree … you can’t visit a new destination without seeking out a market or two. I love wandering around them, and discovering their culinary delights.
I think the best part about these local cuisine classes is the visit to the market. The sights and sounds tell you so much about the culture of that place. Interesting to learn about the local pastes like kroeung. Loved all your captures.
We always visit markets, but it was so good having a guide as part of our cooking class so that we could ask questions and get to know the history and uses of the different herbs and spices used in Cambodia cooking.