A Perfect Woman

As a woman

Be mindful of your speech.

Do not giggle like a simple girl.

Nor flirt without a care.

Like a loose girl 

Who prefers the company of young men. 

Chbab Srey (Codes of Conduct: Females) by Dr. Mern Mai 

Mother in the Garden

                                                        Today, I feel happy

Seeing all the flowers blooming in the garden.

I am going to arrange some bouquets

And keep them next to me.

If you’d like,

I will give you this one.

Gathering around the garden with all the attendants

Enjoying the view in pairs.

The attendants pick flowers for the lady

Taking her pleasure in the garden.

Leaves are falling off trees

Makes my heart ache.

Thread thkol* in tassels,

While rumduol* are for body chains.

All the ladies are beautiful and full of grace,

And are loved by every man.

This piece is from the ballet The Legend of Apsara Mera. Apsaras are celestial dancers born from The Churning of the Ocean of Milk. According to one of the two Khmer creation myths, among the many apsaras, one was called Mera, who was of utmost beauty and grace. Lord Shiva married her off to the self-born sage Kambu Swayambhuva. And from their union sprung the Khmer race.  

Footnotes: 

Thkol is bullet wood (mimusop elengi).

Rumduol is the beloved bloom of the Khmer people.

Words of Advice From a King

In studying various problems, one must think well.

Even adults with good behavior 

Are still subjected to distraction;

A good man can become wicked;

A modest man can become grand.

Sometimes one might mistake a horse for a donkey,

Take a goose for a duck,

Think a winged bean for a liana,

Keep the lead and toss away the silver,

Mistake engraved copper for gold.

That is why it is worth thinking,

To reason, to smell the air

To identify the flavor, the fragrance

Good or bad,

Delectable and exciting. 

Chbab Rajaneti (Moral Codes of Conduct: The King’s Neither This Nor That)

By Sri Dharmaraja II of Cambodia (reign 1627-1631) 

Khmer Pickled Papaya

Pickled papaya or chrourk la’hong is probably the most popular pickle in Cambodia. It is served as an accompaniment to Khmer grilled beef skewers. If you ever find yourself in Cambodia, try our beef skewers. It’ll be the best thing you’ll ever eat (assuming the cooks know their stuff). We also top our sandwiches with this pickle. You can serve it along with grilled meat and seafood as well. Before we get started, a brief Khmer lesson:

Chrourk means pickle in this instance. It can also mean to sour. 

La’hong is papaya.

Now to the pickle, you will need:

1 large young green papaya, peeled and seeded

2 medium carrots, peeled 

4 cucumbers, halved and seeded

6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Several chilies (optional)

3 tbsp salt

1 cup white sugar

1 cup white vinegar

Shred the papaya. Make sure not to shred it too finely. Toss the shredded papaya with 2 tbsp of salt. Set it aside for forty minutes. Slice the carrots, about 1/16 inch in thickness. You can also shred it as you did the papaya. Toss the carrots with ½ tbsp of salt and set aside for forty minutes. Cut cucumbers into matchsticks, roughly around 1 ½ inch long and ⅛ inch thick. Toss the cucumbers with the remaining salt and set aside for forty minutes. 

Dissolve sugar in vinegar. 

Drain the salt water off of each vegetable. Make sure you get as much salt water as possible. Do not rinse the vegetables with water. Toss the vegetables with garlic slices and chilies in a large bowl. Add the vinegar and sugar solution. Mix well, cover and leave it aside for an hour or so. Toss it a few times so that the brine is distributed evenly. Move the pickle into a clean jar. Do not add in the brine. You want the pickle to stay fresh and crunchy. Store the pickle in the fridge. It can be eaten the next day. It you want a sourer taste, leave the jar on the counter for a few days before moving it into the fridge. 

Note: If you like, you can add daikon radish and cabbage to the veggie medley as well.

Mother and Father

Venerate the Gods in your home before the one in the vatt (Buddhist monastery). 

Khmer Proverb