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While Cambodian cuisine boasts a rich history, it has only recently gained global recognition. The dishes reflect the Khmer people's perfect blend of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour flavors, coupled with unique ingredients from the Mekong River region.
Embark on a culinary journey with 14 distinctive dishes that set Cambodia apart
Cambodian cuisine is enriched by the vast Mekong River and the expansive Tonlé Sap Lake, providing freshwater fish and seafood for its diverse dishes. Staples include rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, and yams. Cambodians favor green vegetables in curries, soups, and stews. Spices, herbs, roots, dried fruits, flowers, and leaves are used to create flavors and adorn dishes.
Cambodian cuisine has been shaped by the country's culture and history, influenced over the years by the French colonial era. This influence extends beyond the iconic French baguette to include bao buns and various other baked goods.
A quintessential Cambodian side dish is prahok, a fermented paste made from small fish known as trey riel (a type of carp). With its gray or brown color, intense aroma, and bold flavor, prahok is used as a spice in many dishes, contributing significantly to the protein content in the Khmer diet.
Explore the most distinctive dishes of Cambodian cuisine:
A signature Cambodian dish, made with fish, shrimp, or chicken mixed with coconut milk and various spices, then steamed in banana leaves. This dish boasts a delightful combination of flavors—fragrant, sweet, and mildly spicy.
A popular breakfast dish in Cambodian cuisine, featuring white rice, grilled pork or chicken, and fish sausage. Thinly sliced pork is marinated in palm sugar and fish sauce, then slow-cooked over charcoal. It's often enjoyed with Mekong fish sauce and a side of raw herbs, pickled cucumbers, and radishes.
Kuv teav is Cambodia's version of noodle soup, commonly sold by street vendors. The broth, made from beef or pork bones, carries the essence of sautéed celery, green onions, garlic, and bean sprouts. Pork or beef balls are a popular topping, added just before serving.
This beef salad features thinly sliced, well-cooked beef marinated in a lime-based dressing with celery, fish sauce, coriander, mint, garlic, bell peppers, and spicy chili. Due to its rich flavor, it's often enjoyed as a light snack at bars.
Samlor kako is considered one of Cambodia's national signature dishes. Samlor kako comprises green kroeung, prahok, fried rice, catfish, pork or chicken, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. In Khmer, 'samlor' means soup, and 'kako' means mix or stir, making it a mixed soup cooked with a variety of preferred vegetables. Typically, it includes pumpkin, papaya, green banana, purple eggplant, and long beans. Fish is mixed with prahok, and all vegetables are added to the pot along with boiling water to simmer over medium heat.
6. Nom banh chok
Nom banh chok is a noodle dish often served for breakfast or as a light afternoon snack. Handmade fermented rice noodles are soaked in a sauce consisting of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, turmeric, and sweet fish sauce, slow-cooked in coconut milk for hours. It's then topped with various raw vegetables such as banana flowers, cucumbers, water spinach, and fresh herbs like mint and basil.
Prahok ktis, Cambodia's robust flavor, is served with fresh vegetables and rice. The three main components of this dish are fermented fish (prahok), lemongrass paste (kroeung), and coconut milk. It's a traditional Khmer dish using kroeung, a lemongrass paste made from herbs and spices, and prahok, commonly found in Cambodia. Thanks to accompanying foods, the naturally spicy prahok becomes milder, typically eaten with rice and boiled vegetables or sliced cucumbers.
Num pang is a sandwich similar to Vietnamese banh mi, also influenced by French cuisine. The baguette is one of the popular and distinctive street foods in Cambodian cuisine. Prepared with diverse ingredients like butter, pate, mayonnaise, spicy chili, green papaya salad, pork, accompanied by fish sauce and soy sauce.
Similar to Vietnam's bamboo-cooked rice dish, Kralan is a traditional rice dish cooked in bamboo tubes with ingredients such as beans and grated coconut. Locals tend to enjoy this dish during the New Year as a longstanding tradition.
Lok lak is a Cambodian stir-fry featuring beef, chicken, or shrimp as the main ingredients, although beef is often the preferred choice. For the beef version, traditionally, a layer of spinach leaves is laid over cucumbers, tomatoes, raw onions, and then stir-fried beef. Typically served with a fried egg. Additionally, lime dipping sauce and renowned Kampot black pepper truly elevate the flavor of this dish.
Yaohon is a Cambodian hot pot with various vegetables, meats, and seafood. The broth is made from a blend of coconut milk, boiled chicken broth, grilled meat sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and palm sugar. Typical vegetables include water spinach, bina leaves, and sweet cabbage, while meat and seafood choices often include beef, chicken, shrimp, squid, clams, and mussels. There are also crushed peanuts, quail eggs, mushrooms, and more.
This traditional chicken curry consists of tender chicken pieces in a smooth coconut milk sauce with the distinctive flavors of Cambodian kroeung sauce, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. The dish can optionally include various vegetables such as purple sweet potatoes, onions, bamboo shoots, carrots, eggplant, or bina leaves.
Pleah sach ko is often made with thin slices of raw beef, ready-to-eat. The meat is marinated in lime juice, then coated with a layer of lime juice mixture, a blend of chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Various finely chopped vegetables and fresh herbs are commonly added, including green bell peppers, lemongrass, garlic, radishes, jalapeño peppers, green onions, and cilantro. When eating, it's sprinkled with fried rice and crushed peanuts.
Samlar machu is made from meat, fish, or seafood and vegetables cooked in sour broth. Local seasonal vegetables and herbs may include water spinach, lemongrass, green onions, tomatoes, kaffir lime leaves, spicy basil, cilantro, and lemongrass. Other crucial ingredients in this dish are fermented fish paste prahok, and kroeung, while ingredients for sourness include krasaing fruit seeds, tamarind, or kaffir lime juice.
According to Mytour
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourAugust 23, 2023
