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14. Fish processing |
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Tonle Sap: Source of Lives
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What happens to the fish once it's caught? Fish accounts for about 75% of Cambodians' animal protein intake and is therefore vital to the country. Fresh fish can be sold as is in the markets, but is often processed. Many species like trey pra, chhdaur and roh are dried: their heads are cut off, then they are gutted, cleaned, salted and rinsed before being dried in the sun for one to three days. Smoked fish is also very common, such as trey kes and krai. The heads are not cut off and the fish are not gutted. They are simply skewered, sometimes arranged in the shape of a fan, and laid over hot charcoal. Traditionally, women are in charge of this type of fish processing. |
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Have you ever tried prahoc? Prahoc is, together with rice, one of the main components of the Tonle Sap inhabitants'diet. It consists of a fish paste which people eat when there isn't enough fresh fish. Prahoc is made from small but abundant fish species like trey riel. The women and children cut off the fish heads, then dry and salt the fish before the men pound them with their feet in brine. Leftovers are used to feed fish raised in cages. Many foreigners find prahoc too strong for their taste, but a Cambodian family consumes an average of 20kg of prahoc per annum. Every year around February, "upland" farmers come from afar in oxcarts to barter rice for a year's supply of prahoc! [next] |
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