The name of “Kampong Speu” is related to sugar production and palm sugar is known as a traditional production of this area and this appellation had been protected as a geographical indication in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Kampong Speu palm sugar includes four types: sugar powder; sugar paste; sugar block and sugar syrup.
The peculiar characteristics and quality of the product is described as follow:
* Sugar powder:
- Texture: no adherent to finger; size of grain is or smaller than 1.5mm; from dry to good dry.
- Color: range varies from slightly pale yellow (G3) to slightly dark yellow (G4).
- Aroma: palm sugar aroma; without aroma of: mushroom, burning.
- Taste: very sweet; the taste of palm sugar is from medium to strong; there has a bit sour and bitter taste.
- Chemical characteristics: Brix > 95%; pH = 4.5-6.5; Aw ≤ 0,45.
* Sugar paste:
- Texture: no adherent or adherent very little to finger; there is crystal grain from average to many.
- Color: ranges from very pale yellow (G1) to very dark yellow (G5).
- Aroma: palm sugar aroma; without aroma of: mushroom, burning.
- Taste: medium to strong sweetness; the taste of palm nectar is from medium to strong; there has a bit sour and bitter taste.
- Chemical characteristics: Brix = 85%- 95%; pH = 4,5 – 6,5; Aw ≤ 0,8.
* Sugar block:
- Texture: there are transparent fibers of medium to large size, with a little powder; from dry to very dry.
- Color: ranges from slightly pale yellow (G3) to light brown (G7).
- Aroma: palm sugar aroma; without aroma of: mushroom, burning.
- Taste: medium to strong sweetness; the taste of palm sugar is from medium to strong; there has a bit sour and bitter taste.
- Chemical characteristics: Brix = 90%- 95%; pH = 4,5 – 6,5; Aw ≤ 0,7.
* Sugar syrup:
- Texture: adherent.
- Color: ranges from slightly pale yellow (G3) to very dark brown (G11).
- Aroma: medium nectar aroma.
- Taste: medium sweet; medium taste os palm sugar; there has a bit sour and bitter taste.
- Chemical characteristics: Brix = 50%- 70%; pH = 3,5 – 6,5; Aw ≤ 0,85.
Kampong Speu palm sugar has these peculiar characteristics by virtue of natural geographic condition and accumulated experience of the producers.
Palm trees are planted and grown on yellowish red podzolic soil, which is sandy soil that has a minimum depth of 80 centimeters and good drainage. Deep sandy planting soils is a factor influencing the quality of the sugar, particularly the palm sap appears to be more concentrated, which explains the rich aromatic level of Kampong Speu palm sugar. The geographical area has low rainfall, which also contributes to the high concentration of sugar in the sap.
The people of Kampong Speu harvest palm sap after the squeezing and the cutting of palm inflorescence. The palm sap collection and “Kampong Speu palm sugar” production starts from 1st December till 31st May of each year.
The utensil to collect the sap is container (“Bampong”) made from bamboo. A small piece of Popèl wood (Shorea cochinchinensis, Hopea recopei và Shorea roxburghiana) or of Koki wood (Hopea helferi, Hoea helferi và Hoepa pierrei) is placed in each container prior to putting it on the tree. The use of gutter ("phnear") is prohibited to channel palm sap from several flowers to the container. The producer can put 1 female flower or mix 4 male flowers of palm tree per container at maximum.
Palm sap shall be collected within 15 hours after the containers being installed. The processing of sap, including putting palm sap in the pan, shall start within 2 hours following the collection of the sap. Palm sap is poured directly into the pan, without being put in another container prior to the processing. Before the processing, palm sap is filtered using a tight strainer (15 microns at maximum). After use, the producers have to clean any material used for palm sap filtration with cold water and then boiling water. The use of chemical substances is prohibited at all stages of production.
Cooking utensil is an improved cook stove with a chimney or a conventional stove when using gas for cooking.
The duration of boiling depends on the type of sugar produced:
- Powder sugar: The duration of boiling is 3 hours plus 15 minutes and the duration of agitation is at least 30 minutes. After that, powder sugar is shifted and its dimension is 1.50 mm at maximum.
- Sugar paste: The maximum duration of boiling is 3 hours and the duration of agitation is at least 15 minutes.
- Sugar block: The duration of boiling is 3 hours plus 15 minutes and the duration of agitation is at least 20 minutes.
- Sugar syrup: Sugar syrup is produced from palm sap and the duration of boiling is 2 and a half hour at maximum.
When the evaporation has reached the target point, the pan is taken out of the stove and crystallization starts in order to bleach the palm sugar. This agitation has to be done manually by using a kind of churn (“Antok”) and a stick (“Khno”) made from wood or inox.
Churn Antok” “Khno” stick.
Before the packaging, the product shall be stored in soil jars (pottery), plastic container or plastic bag compatible with food. The product is stored in a place where dry, clean and far from the sunshine. The duration of temporary storage before packaging is 3 months. The duration of use is best before 1 year in respect of sugar paste and sugar block, 2 years for sugar syrup and 3 years for powder sugar.
The materials used as package are unlikely to affect the quality of the product.
The geographical origin:
* The delimited geographical area for producing and processing Kampong Speu palm sugar consists of the following districts:
- Oudong and Samrong Tong districts, Kampong Speu province;
- And Snuol district, Kandal province.
* The packaging of “Kampong Speu palm sugar” can be done in the 3 districts above or in the bordering districts as below:
- Kampong Tralach, Sameakki Mean Chey, Rolea Bier and Krong Kampong Chhang of Kampong Chhnang;
- Oral, Thpong, Phnom Sruoch, Basedth, Kong Pisey and Krong Chbar Mon of Kampong Speu;
- Kandal Stoeung and Ponhea Lueu of Kandal;
- Phnom Penh Municipality.