Concerned about Coronavirus? Click here.
A Taste of Cambodia
A Taste of Cambodia
By Sarah Dean
Cambodian cuisines may be less popular than famous dishes from countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam, but we can assure you they’re just as delicious.
A taste or flavor can bring so much more to an experience and like anywhere it's just about knowing what to order. If you come with us to Cambodia, we have sourced some of the best spots to eat and don’t forget to wander through the night markets too!
Cambodian or Khmer food is generally made with fresh ingredients with a wide range of flavors. In Asian cuisines, rice is considered a staple so it is pretty much served with most Cambodian cuisines. Here are a few famous cuisines and typical street food you can find in Cambodia!
Signature Cuisines
Known as Beef Loc Lac, this signature dish is made up of stir-fried strips of beef which is served on lettuce leaves, rings of onion, tomatoes and cucumbers. Some places will serve this dish with a fried egg too. But the best part of this meal is pepper and lime juice dipping sauce which makes the meal come together and pop.
A famous curry from Cambodia is the Khmer curry which is found to be a lot less mild than the curries found in Thailand and India as it has fewer spices. Khmer curries will have more herbs, making the curry sweeter in taste than spicy. There are a few recipes, but generally the curry has chicken, potatoes, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, coconut cream and milk as well as shallots. This is all best served with rice!
Street food
Kuy teav is a popular street food in Cambodia and is generally how most locals start their day. It is a noodle soup made with beef or pork bones and rice vermicelli. The broth is topped with garlic, onions, herbs and fried shallots.
While this next dish has some unusual combinations, don’t knock it until you try it. In Cambodia they make a chicken and banana flower salad, which is a great meal during a hot day. It includes thin slices of chicken with crunchy banana flowers, with flavors of garlic, lemongrass, chilies, fried shallots and freshly squeezed lime on top.
Probably one of the most common street foods in Cambodia is Nom banh chok which consists of thin rice noodles, cucumber, beansprouts, banana leaves, basil and green fish curry. If not found at a market stall, you often see women balancing a pole on their sholders which contain the ingredients in baskets on either side.
While it is important to be safe when choosing what to eat, we urge you to not order pizza or meals that you can get at home. Allow your taste buds to experience the best of Cambodia too! If you want a taste of Cambodia or to experience its beautiful culture, check out our programs for Summer 2021 here.