Cambodian Bok Lahong Recipe

Bak Lohong is a traditional papaya salad from Cambodia made from green papaya, tomatoes, long beans, and a spicy, sour dressing. The dish is eaten as a side or a light meal and is particularly popular during the summer months as a refreshing and light dish. 

Origin and Cultural Significance

Papaya salad is a popular staple all across South East Asia, with different variations of the dish available in almost all Southeast Asian countries. Papaya and chili peppers were first brought to Southeast Asia by the Spanish and Portuguese, from the Americas, in the 17th century and both are now staples in Southeast Asian cuisines. 

It is thought that the popular papaya salad was created in Laos, before traveling throughout Southeast Asia to Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and even China.

Unlike the original Laotian version of the dish, the Cambodian version uses a white fish sauce rather than a fermented fish sauce. The dish is popular in restaurants and a common street food all over the country. 

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Cambodian Bok Lahong Recipe

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bak Lohong is a traditional papaya salad from Cambodia made from green papaya, tomatoes, long beans, and a spicy, sour dressing.

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Ingredients

• Green papaya (shredded) - 2 cups
• Cherry tomatoes (halved) - 1 cup
• Long beans (cut into 1-inch pieces) - 1 cup
• Garlic (minced) - 2 cloves
• Fresh chili (sliced) - 1-2
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
• Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
• Palm sugar - 1 tbsp
• Roasted peanuts (chopped) - 1/4 cup

Instructions

1. In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chili until a paste forms.
2. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
3. In a large bowl, combine shredded papaya, cherry tomatoes, and long beans.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 1251mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 13g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.