Book
NHUM: Recipes from a Cambodian Home Kitchen
NHUM: Recipes from a Cambodian Home Kitchen is a cookbook of 80 Cambodian home recipes by Chef Nak (Rotanak Ros), self-published in 2019.[1][2] It was her first cookbook, and it followed a successful Kickstarter campaign.[3][4]
About the book
Nhum is the Khmer word for "eat."[3] The book gathers everyday Cambodian home cooking: soups, curries, salads, stir-fries, grilled dishes, snacks and sweets, from simple family meals to dishes made for sharing and special occasions.[1] Among them are baked chicken with young jackfruit, crispy shrimp fritters and steamed stone crab with glass noodles.[5] The recipes range from street food to family meals.[6]
The book introduces Cambodian ingredients, cooking techniques and the balance of flavors in Khmer cooking. Each dish comes with stories and knowledge that give it cultural context, and the recipes are laid out step by step.[1][3] It is written for cooks new to Cambodian food as well as chefs and experienced home cooks, for Cambodian families living abroad and for travelers reconnecting with Cambodia.[1]
Chef Nak traveled across Cambodia's provinces to learn treasured recipes from local cooks, and she drew heavily on her own childhood.[2][3] The book brings back Cambodian flavors from before the genocide: light, aromatic dishes built on herbs, fruits and subtle spices.[2] She has called the book a labor of love, meant to introduce Cambodian food to the world with an emphasis on authenticity.[3]
Publication and editions
Rotanak Food Media in Phnom Penh published the book in January 2019 as a hardcover, ISBN 9789924933700 (ISBN-10 9924933702).[7][8] ThriftBooks lists 240 pages; Mary Martin Booksellers lists 238 pages with an index and credits Rotanak Ros and Nataly Lee as authors.[7][8] The book appeared in both English and Khmer.[4][3] Printing and distribution delays during the COVID-19 pandemic held back its wider release.[2] It is sold in Cambodia directly through Chef Nak and abroad through selected online retailers, including Amazon.[1][4]
In 2020 the book received Gourmand Awards in the "Woman Chef Book" and "Published in Asia" categories.[4] The New York Times featured it in April 2021.[4][2] IntoCambodia.org lists it among its books on Cambodian cuisine and food culture.[9]
Recipes on KhmerConnection
- Fish Amok (recipe), adapted from this book
Access
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Chef Nak, NHUM cookbook page
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The New York Times, on Rotanak Ros and Cambodian food
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Focus Cambodia: Home Cooking (October 26, 2023)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Chef Nak - Wikipedia
- ↑ AbeBooks: NHUM, Recipes from a Cambodia, Chef Nak (Rotanak Ros)
- ↑ Thalias Hospitality: Savoring Cambodia, a guide to Khmer cookbooks (July 4, 2025)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 ThriftBooks, NHUM - Recipes from a Cambodian Home Kitchen
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Mary Martin Booksellers: Nhum, Recipes from a Cambodian Kitchen
- ↑ IntoCambodia.org: Books