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Served daily
Cambodia
Philadelphia has the fourth largest Cambodian population that consists of roughly around 10,000 people. Cambodian cuisine commonly includes spices and ingredients such as garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric and galangal. Places to eat and shop abundant in Khmer culture around Philadelphia is located around South 6th and 7th street, also known as Cambodia Town.
Water Spinach Stir-Fry
William Keo - “When they were in Phnom Penh, they couldn’t really afford meat and such, but there was a lot of water spinach growing around their house. So they would eat water spinach with almost every meal.”Samlor Kako
Christopher Hou - “Yeah, when I was in Cambodia, I would cook with my mom and it would be really good. Now when I cook here, I miss my mom” my mom replied. Salaw Machu Youn
Dara Sok - “The main components that make up the broth are tamarind pulp and lemongrass which gives the soup a sour flavor with a hint of sweetness. The other ingredients consist of your choice of protein such as fish, chicken, pineapples and tomatoes but this may vary based on the region or time period.”
Village Sour Soup
Malika Soun - “With each visit of my mother’s arrival, my great grandmother would make sour village soup. My mother was a helper in the kitchen and would watch her grandmother on how to make the dish.”Rice Porridge (Bor Bor)
Ryan Thach - “That feeling of testing the heat of a spoonful and always burning my tongue and lips is a strong memory that I still feel to this day whenever I get sick. The rice drifting within the glistening liquid base is always something I can recall and just daydreaming about it makes me feel better internally.”Num Banh Chok
Sally Ka - “We would always create this dish for special occasions or events in my family because it holds a significant meaning. Whenever I ate this dish, I had always thought of my grandma feeding me while I was growing up.”
Salaw Machu Kreung
Samrith Loeung - “This dish, which was handed down from my mom’s sister to her, is a physical incarnation of their bond of encouragement, trust, lovingness for one another.”Vietnam
Philadelphia's large Vietnamese community consists of approximately 16,000 people, making it the third-biggest Asian community in the city. Vietnamese cuisine commonly focuses on the use of fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, ginger, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird's eye chili, lime, and Thai basil leaves. Between 8th street and Washington Ave, Little Saigon is rich in Vietnamese culture amid shopping centers such as the Hoa Binh Plaza and Wing Phat Plaza, and other Vietnamese restaurants.
Vietnamese Fried Rice
Aleena Tan - “My grandmother would always cook her fried rice both in Vietnam as a child and also during her time in America and my mom would love it. My mom says it’s easy to make and eat. It would be served hot and would fill her up on a cold day, giving her warmth. It would give her enough energy for her long day ahead, whether it be at school or at work.”Che Xoi Nuoc (Mungbean Mochis)
Alina Tran - “Honestly, I feel like this dish reminds her of the childhood she gave up since this dish was given to her from an older, protective figure that took care of her when she was trying to act like an adult while also dealing with adolescence.”Chicken Curry w/ Coconut Milk
Hannah Lac - “I find it interesting that my dad rarely shares stories of his childhood and the fact that I was able to learn from a single dish blows my mind. Not only did I catch a glimpse into his past, but I also thought about his current job as a chef. "Bún Riêu chay / vegetarian
Quynh Vo - “I was joyfully surprised to see how hard they worked to make the dish vegetarian and still try to include its original elements. It showed that they really cared.”Bun Rieu Cua
Shayla Nguyen - “It consists of crab meat, tofu, pork blood, water spinach, tomatoes. If they had the money it would be eaten with noodles but if not, it would be eaten as a soup with yuca (a root vegetable).”Cháo
Tommy Tran - "However, after going through all the pain in the first couple weeks of vacation my mom would make me Chao To keep my body feeling warm. Somehow the rice porridge was very medicinal and beneficial for my body."Stir Fry Bitter Melon
Zhiwei Li - “When we were living with my grandpa, during dinner my grandpa almost everyday he would stir fry bitter melon and always force me to eat them. He claims that it is good for me and I never believed him, but now after learning about the health benefits of bitter melon maybe I should’ve believed him.”Crispy Lemongrass and Peppers on Rice
Timothy Nguyen - “They would just eat one bowl after another. Although her mother is no longer with us, every time my mother would make this dish, it reminds her of her mother, who she misses very much.”
Indonesia
Philadelphia's Indonesian community consists of between 6,000 and 8,000 people. Indonesian cuisine uses an abundance of herbs and spices, and a main characteristic is its spiciness and the heavy use of coconut milk, nutmeg, soy sauce, chilli peppers and pepper. All over Philadelphia you can find Indonesian cuisines and shopping centers starting in South Philadelphia like 16th & Morris and even an overlap with Vietnamese cuisine at Washington Ave.
Oseng Oseng Pare
Calistha Gunawan - “The combination of bittermelon (Pare),tempeh, and other spices was the Gunawan Family’s signature dish called Oseng Oseng Pare. I believe because bittermelon was an affordable crop and the dish oseng oseng pare was pretty simple to make, there would be weeks where we would eat it everyday.”Bubur Ayam
Emily Lim - “This was an essential or staple dish to have whenever someone was sick or when it was just too cold. If a sick person ate this dish, they’d instantly feel like they’ve recovered and healed already or they’d wake up from their nap or sleep feeling much better.”Bubur Ayam 2.0
Mary Santoso - “Every day I was sick, my grandma would wake up early in the morning and the first thing she would do was make bubur ayam because it was soft enough for me to consume and I didn’t throw it up when I ate it.”Sayur Longtong Zucchini
Rachel Barata - “This was important to him because our mom used this dish as a way to introduce him to America by incorporating an ingredient from here into an Indonesian dish. He remembers her telling him that even though he’s living in America, he can adapt to the culture here, but he needs to remember that he is still Indonesian and should be proud and hold on to his culture.”Depressed Indomie
Sabrina Harjanto - “My mom went to local Indonesian corner stores, and she would buy instant ramen. It was both cheap and fast to make, and she would make it all the time.”Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls
Shanie Noor - "Their friendship started to grow and one day this woman taught my mom how to make fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls. This recipe stuck to her because she fell in love with it. To this day my mom still knows the recipe and remembers how to make it."
Sambal Terasi
Kintan Silvany - “Sambal is the perfect add-on to any Indonesian dish. I love it so much and I usually try to bring some everywhere I go.”Crocodile Soup
Ethan Wijaya - “After my mom healed, she never forgot about what her friend did, 'The crocodile meat is actually give me the inspiration to open the restaurant from crocodile, everything based off the crocodile.'"
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