One of my favorite dishes from my culture is Salaw Machu Kroeung or Sour Beef Soup. I was first introduced to Salaw Machu Kroeung when I think I was 4 and since then it has always been one of my favorites. My parents both moved to America as refugees from the Khmer Rouge, my mother and father at the time didn’t know each other. Both lived in Battambang Cambodia, and they were constantly on the move due to the Khmer Rouge. Some background on the Khmer Rouge, it was what some called a Civil Holocaust. The dictator at the time Pol Pot, would kill anybody with government ties or at least were educated. Pol Pot sent many to concentration camps and killed many. Luckily I can say my parents were able to live through this event. My mother first landed in Texas and later moved to California. As for my father, he also landed in Texas but decided to stay there. Salaw Machu Kroeung is a very popular dish, and I would consider a staple in Cambodian. Everything about this dish is mouth-watering whether it be the sour and sometimes spicy broth, the ever so tender beef or pork rib, or even the satisfying crunch of the Chinese watercress. There’s not much uniqueness to this story but I think a lot of Cambodian Americans can relate to this. I can ensure this when I’ve heard many Cambodian American rappers incorporating the soup in their music even. I see this as somewhat of a comfort dish, and the best feeling  is when I ask my mom what’s for dinner and she replies, “Salaw Machu Kroeung.”

– BT

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant