Holidays & Special Occasions
Nom Ansom Chrouk
Ingredients
- - 500 g (2 1/2 cups) glutinous rice, soaked overnight
- - 200 g (7 oz) pork belly, cut into strips
- - 80 g (2/3 cup) split mung beans, soaked and steamed until soft
- - 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- - 1 tbsp (15 g) sugar
- - 1 tsp (5 g) black pepper
- - 3 garlic cloves, minced
- - large banana leaves, for wrapping
- - kitchen twine, for tying
Method
- Marinate the pork strips with fish sauce, sugar, black pepper and garlic for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the soaked glutinous rice and season lightly with a pinch of salt.
- Lay two overlapping banana leaves flat and spread a layer of rice in the centre.
- Add a layer of mung beans, then the marinated pork strips, then cover with more rice, enclosing the filling completely.
- Fold the banana leaves tightly around the filling to form a cylinder and tie securely with kitchen twine at intervals.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then boil the wrapped cakes for 4–5 hours, topping up water as needed, until the rice is fully cooked and dense.
- Cool before unwrapping and slicing into rounds to serve.
Introduction: Nom Ansom Chrouk is a savoury cylindrical rice cake filled with seasoned pork and mung bean, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for hours, closely tied to Pchum Ben, the fifteen-day festival honouring deceased ancestors.
Cultural Background: Nom Ansom Chrouk is a savoury cylindrical rice cake filled with seasoned pork and mung bean, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for hours, closely tied to Pchum Ben, the fifteen-day festival honouring deceased ancestors. Families prepare large batches to offer at pagodas and to share among relatives, making it as much an act of remembrance as a meal.
Tips: Wrap tightly and evenly so the rice cooks through consistently over the long boiling time. Prepare these a day ahead of a festival gathering, as they keep well and the flavour settles nicely overnight.
Variations: A version with shrimp added alongside pork is made in some coastal families. Black glutinous rice gives a nuttier, more festive variation. Replace pork with seasoned marinated tempeh or extra mung bean and mushroom filling.
Storage: Store wrapped, unsliced cakes at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.
Reheating: Re-steam whole or sliced portions for 15–20 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 380 kcal, 14 g protein, 12 g fat, 56 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 620 mg sodium.
FAQs:
Q: What is Pchum Ben?
A: A fifteen-day Cambodian festival dedicated to honouring deceased ancestors, during which families visit pagodas and share offerings of food, including this dish.
Q: Can this be made without pork?
A: Yes, though the pork filling is traditional for this savoury version; see the Num Ansom Chek entry for the sweet banana variant.