9 dishes to try when visiting Cambodia

Exploring local cuisine is an essential activity in any trip, and you may not be accustomed to the dishes in Cambodia because they don’t suit your palate, but you can still try a bit—it will help you learn more about the people and culture of Cambodia. Join us as we list 9 unique dishes that the locals commonly eat.

Amok Trey

Amok is a traditional steamed fish dish that is a staple in Cambodian cuisine. The main ingredient of this dish is various types of fish caught in freshwater. The fish is deboned, chopped, and mixed with coconut milk, eggs, fish sauce, palm sugar, chili, etc. An essential ingredient that makes Amok richer is the Kroeung mixture. This special sauce made by Cambodians consists of turmeric, lime, shallots, and many other spices typical of Cambodian cuisine.

The main ingredients for Amok are wrapped in banana leaves, then steamed until cooked. Before serving, Amok is garnished with green lime leaves cut into thin strips, red chili, and a bit of white coconut milk drizzled on top. Therefore, the fish looks very appealing and attractive to diners after being steamed. Nowadays, besides using fish, Cambodians sometimes alter this traditional dish with other ingredients like chicken, beef, pork, tofu, etc., to create a unique flavor.

Tonle Sap Lake is the main source of freshwater fish for Cambodia, see: Tonle Sap – The Largest Freshwater Lake in Southeast Asia

Nom Banh Chok

Nom Banh Chok noodles are a typical breakfast food for the people of Cambodia in general. This street food is usually sold from pushcarts along the sidewalks on the streets. The ingredients of this dish include noodles and a green curry made from fish, mint leaves, and lemongrass, garnished with banana flowers, cucumber, and several other types of vegetables.

Palm Sugar Honeycomb Cake

If you have a sweet tooth, you must try the enticing Palm Sugar Honeycomb Cake when visiting Cambodia. In addition to the basic ingredients used to make the usual honeycomb cake, what makes this famous cake different is the use of ripe palm fruit and palm sugar. Thanks to these two ingredients, the Palm Sugar Honeycomb Cake has a beautiful yellow color with a light sweetness and an attractive aroma. On the streets of Cambodia, especially in Siem Reap, tourists will easily find carts selling this type of cake.

Lap Khmer

Lap Khmer is a lime-marinated Khmer beef salad consisting of thinly sliced beef briefly blanched in boiling water or marinated in lime juice, along with salad. The salad is wonderfully flavored with ingredients such as fish sauce, lemongrass, lime juice, cilantro, mint, and chili peppers. Additionally, other vegetables such as green beans, shallots, and tomatoes are included. All these ingredients together create the exquisite taste of this Khmer beef salad.

Dishes made from insects

Insects are a key ingredient in many famous dishes in Cambodia, especially in Siem Reap. At first glance, you might feel quite terrified, but if you dare to try them, you’ll find them interesting. Dishes made from insects are highly nutritious. From crickets, ant eggs to water bugs, they are cooked in various ways including fried, stir-fried, steamed, or pickled, all of which are delicious. Among these, dishes made from water bugs, a beneficial type of insect, are particularly appealing and have a spicy, aromatic flavor.

Compared to insect-based dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, Cambodian insect cuisine is less diverse. The main ingredients are usually crickets and spiders, and these dishes are typically less complex and use fewer spices. To learn more about tourist destinations in Vietnam and Cambodia, see: Best Places To Visit In Vietnam And Cambodia

Prahok

Prahok is made from small fish, such as mud carp or snakehead fish, which are abundant in meat and particularly sweet when fermented for a long period. The fish are thoroughly cleaned to remove any fishy smell, decapitated, and then seasoned with garlic, sugar, pepper, etc. The fish are then sun-dried for a day, washed again, and packed into jars along with rice and salt. Bamboo sticks are used to tightly seal the jars, which are then left to ferment for 4 to 6 months. The finished Prahok has a dark red color, a thick fish sauce consistency, and emits a fragrant aroma.

Samlor Kako

Samlor Kako is considered one of the signature dishes of Cambodia. If you visit Siem Reap, try this dish at least once. Samlor Kako consists of green Kroeung, Prahok, toasted rice, catfish, pork or chicken, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. In Khmer, “Samlor” means soup, and “Kako” means mixed or stirred, so it is a type of mixed soup cooked with various vegetables as preferred. Typically, the dish includes ingredients like pumpkin, papaya, green bananas, eggplant, and long beans. The fish meat is mixed with Prahok, then all the vegetables are added to the pot along with boiling water and cooked over moderate heat.

Papaya Salad

Papaya salad is also a very popular dish in Vietnam. However, in Cambodia, it is prepared slightly differently. The papaya salad is made from a variety of ingredients including dried shrimp, tomatoes, yardlong beans, cucumber, garlic, chili, and cilantro, accompanied by a unique salad dressing and dipping sauce that combines salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

Prahok Ktis

Prahok Ktis is served with fresh vegetables and rice. The main ingredients of Prahok Ktis include fish paste (Prahok), lemongrass paste (Kroeung), coconut milk, palm sugar, and minced pork. Thanks to the ingredients cooked together, the inherently spicy taste of Prahok becomes milder, making it enjoyable even for the pickiest eaters. Prahok Ktis is eaten with rice and either steamed vegetables or sliced cucumber.