Much of the cuisine in Southeast Asia is made with a blend of surrounding influences. But, here in Cambodia, Khmer food falls into a category of its own. Whether you prefer something exotic like crocodile or duck embryo or something classy like Fish Amok or Kep Peppercorn Crab, each dish has distinct flavors that just may make your mouth tingle. It’s not really spicy, salty, or sweet, but a beautiful mix of all three. Finding food to try in Cambodia is an adventure in itself. Just make sure you wash that Durian down with a cold Angkor Beer (or water beetles!)

 

National Dish:

Fish Amok (baked fish with lemon grass-based sauce, coconut and chilli)

 

Entrée:

K’tieu pork and shrimp noodle soup

cambodia eats

Mains:

Bai Sach Chrouk Pork and rice

Khmer red curry

Lok Lak stir-fried beef

Lap Khmer beef salad

Bok L’hong Khmer green papaya salad

Mekong fish

Khor pig trotter stew

Tableside sizzling BBQ: crocodile, Lok lak beef, K’dam chaa

Crab (from Kep)

Happy Pizza (with marijuana!)

cambodia eats

Sides:

Num banh chok Khmer curry noodles

Mee katang noodles with meat, veg and oyster sauce

Bai cha Khmer fried rice

Kralan sticky rice with sugar and coconut

Prahok fish paste

Rice, Kampot Pepper

 

Snacks:

Balut Fertilised Duck Embryo eggs

Fried tarantula

Water beetles and crickets (!)

Red tree ants, Termite eggs (!!),

 

Fruit:

Durian (smelly, spiky fruit), Mangosteen, Rambutan, Longan,

 

Dessert:

Pong Aime sweets

Cha houy Teuk jelly dessert

 

Drinks:

Iced Coffee, Iced Tea

Khmer drink (soda water and lemon), fresh coconut juice

Tuk-a-loc (fruits, raw egg, condensed milk)

 

Beer:

Angkor, Anchor and Cambodia

 

Wine:

Palm Wine, Rice Wine, Golden Muscle Wine (made from deer antlers!)


Hana LaRock is originally from New York, though has called other places around the world her home for the last two years. She currently lives in South Korea as an English teacher and freelance travel writer. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her dog, and of course, traveling. You can find her at www.hanalarockwriting.com.