NPR's Book of the Day 'My Cambodia: A Khmer Cookbook' is Nite Yun’s love letter to food and family
Nov 27, 2025
Nite Yun, a Cambodian-American chef and author, shares her journey of blending food with heritage in her debut cookbook, My Cambodia: A Khmer Cookbook. She reflects on how cooking helped her connect with her parents' past and the rich stories behind their family recipes. Nite discusses the comforting aromas of traditional dishes and the significance of kreung in Cambodian cuisine. She also explores her family's resilience during their escape from Cambodia, emphasizing the importance of preserving these culinary traditions for future generations.
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Family History Revealed Over Meals
- Nite Yun learned about her parents' past by traveling to Cambodia and connecting with relatives over food.
- Her mother opened up about being a village beauty queen while food conversations revealed family history.
Capture Joy As Well As Pain
- Preserve joyful cultural memories alongside trauma by documenting music, art, and everyday life.
- Treat cookbooks as time capsules that celebrate full, resilient cultural histories.
Make Kreung Together
- Make a large batch of kreung (a pounding paste) with friends to save effort and build community.
- Use kreung as a versatile base for marinades, soups, stews, and curries.
