Raw egg in Cambodia! When it comes to trying new things I am anything but a prude. Essentially so long as it isn’t mushroom I will try it (although I’ll even make the odd fungal exception).
I live on a pretty interesting street in Cambodia. Mostly Khmer families, but with a few barang thrown in for good measure. As is fairly standard for me I have ingratiated myself into the community more than the other foreigners.
There’s one particular family who tend to have a lot of street parties, nothing crazy, but lots of food and drink. Whilst coming home they were not only having a party, but had a token Chinese speaker there.
Speaking Chinese is useful in Cambodia
Whilst English is the weapon of choice for the Khmer, there are a decent amount of people who speak Chinese. Always an amusement when whitey comes along.
Anyhow I was invited to join the group and did she willing, being quickly offered a beer and got down to speaking some Chinese. Multiple cheers were had and obviously food was shared. In particular an kind of omelet (pong tea jean).
I’ve previously written about Egg Proma click here .
So, Cambodians eat a lot of eggs!
I feel like I eat a lot more eggs here, usually of the boiled variety. What you do when eating it is dip it in a salt/pepper/lime mix,w which makes it amazing.
And then of course you have Cambodian balut, the unfertilized duck, or chicken egg. I’ve had this multiple times, but it does not. compare with its Filipino cousin.
To read about Cambdian balut click here
To read about Filipino ballot click here
There were eggs on the table
A few beers in I was thus offered one of the eggs. It was translated to me that these eggs were raw. I’m not gonna lie I think this was kind of a test, would the barang do it? Or would he balk at the challenge. Clearly they did not know who they were dealing with.
Raw Egg in Cambodia!
I’ll add here that I did my research after the fact. I’ll also add that I have had raw egg before. I had a Chinese friend who introduced it to me whilst camping. She would add raw egg to a sandwich. I’ve also done beer + clamato juice + tobacco + plus raw egg in Mexico. A fiery drink.
The deal in Cambodia is you do not use mass produced supermarket eggs. The eggs have to be from a farm you know and of good quality. I’m assuming they followed this course. Or at least I hope so. I’m not gonna check.
How do you eat raw egg in Cambodia?
You crack open the top without spilling any of the egg. You create a hole big enough to add stuff and essentially be able to consume the raw egg. All good so far right?
After opening he raw egg you then add salt, pepper and lime, much like you do with a boiled egg. And then? Well you literally down it like a shot. I’ll not lie all eyes were upon me and I feel there was a new found respect garnered for their foreigner friend.
How does raw egg in Cambodia taste?
Look, it was hardly earth shattering, it was a raw egg. But I like raw stuff, salt, pepper and lime. I enjoyed it. Downing it in one almost reminded me of doing oysters.
To read about oysters in Cambodia click here .
Overall achievement unlocked! I can’t say it will become a mainstay of my diet. Although with that being said it hasn’t to my surprise given me the shits, so there is that. I have now tried raw egg in Cambodia!
