Cherng kong Kep Chien (Fried Frog Legs)

This dish is so common at Angkor. In the wet season the children living in and around the heritage site will be carrying large plastic buckets with a little water and hopefully lots of frogs. You see them darting off along the sandy paths leading to temples and pouncing on the fleeing frogs. This food appears bountiful and is extremely delicious.

Ingredients:

• 450 gm (1 lb) skinned frog legs
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp Soy sauce
• Cooking oil for deep frying
• 240 ml (1 cup) All purpose flour or tempura batter flour
• 240 ml (1 cup) ice cold water
• Black pepper
• Salt

Method:

1. Marinate frog legs in a  bowl with garlic, salt, soy sauce and black pepper and set aside refrigerated for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Place the flour in a small bowl with ice cold water and salt.
3. Mix well until the flour is dispersed.
4. Heat up cooking oil in a frying pan or wok to 180oC.
5. Dip each leg in the batter mix  and drop it in hot oil.
6. Deep-fry the  frog legs till they turn golden brown.
7. Remove cooked frog legs and drain on kitchen paper.
8. Serve hot with Ginger fish sauce dip, and Carrot and Daikon Relish (Do Chua)