History of "Kralan" Cambodian traditional snack

Phnom penh - 18,januray,2024

"Kralan" is a traditional Khmer snack made of sticky rice stuffed inside the bamboo tube and sealed with a coconut shell or banana leaf before being baked from the outside around the bamboo peel.

According to the Battambang Provincial Administration, the word "kralan" is derived from the ethnic group (Kola) of Burma who fled to what is now Pailin province. In contrast to Cambodians, the Kola indigenous people consume sticky rice daily.

According to the same source, the Kola people used to engage in mining (gems, gold, and diamonds), hunting, and logging. They don't need to bring clay pots every time they walk into the jungle because they're heavy and fragile. When they're cooking, they go out and cut bamboo with enormous holes, cook it with a vertical bamboo tube, and set it on fire.

Cambodians who went to the jungle with the Kola people found that sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes tasted different than sticky rice cooked in pots. When they returned from the forest, they shared information about how to make the delicious sticky rice with other villagers.

Since then, Cambodians have referred to this snack as "Nom Kralan," which is similar to the name of the Kola people. Moreover, Kralan is regarded as both a traditional and a tourist product due to its wonderful flavor.

Kralan made by the people living in Thmor Kre village, Thmor Kre commune, Chit Borey district, and Kratie province gained popularity among national and international tourists as well.​ It is commonly referred to as "Kralan Thmor Kre."

We shouldn't miss Kralan Thmar Kram because it has a unique flavor compared to other counties. It has three flavors: normal flavor, jackfruit flavor, and coconut paste flavor. All three varieties are equally wonderful, so we can eat whatever we like.

The locals claim that the "Kralan business" allows them to make more income in addition to farming and that it contributes significantly to poverty reduction.