Six Must Try Cambodian Food

The South East Asian countries are popular for their food, they tend to mix up so many herbs and spices and make up a tantalizing delicious cuisine. Lemongrass is a very important ingredient in their cuisine. Cambodia is one such country which will make you ask for more as soon as you eat its tempting food. Be prepared to forget about your diet and indulge in properly prepared, appropriately spiced, and fantastic taste of Cambodian cuisine. The following are the six most divine foods you must try on your trip to Cambodia:

1. Fish Amok:

Fans of seafood will definitely adore this entrée. It is a unique combination of lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, shallots, galangal and ginger root. If you don’t like fish, you also have an option to have chicken, pork or beef amok.

2. Lap Khmer

Lap Khmer is a lime marinated beef salad. Anything marinated with lime has its own scrumptious flavor and beef is always associated with being juicy. Lap Khmer is 80% about beef and 20% about salad. The beef is made either grilled or can be made raw as well on request. As the name makes it obvious, this beef is marinated with lemon and then served with lemongrass, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, Asian basil, mint, green beans and green pepper. It also has a lot of hot red pepper to balance the taste between spicy and sweet.

3. Kdam Chaa

All crab lovers will go crazy at this point, kdam chaa is fried crab for the tourists. It is actually a specialty of Cambodia’s sea town Kep. It is usually cooked with Kampot pepper. This crab is the most interesting thing in Cambodia and definitely the most enticing

4. Cha Houy Teuk – Jelly Dessert

It’s not all about savory foods in Cambodia. The Cambodians love their desert as well. You’ll be surprised as to how cheap this desert is, it’s just $0.25. It’s so famous that people line up for it. It comes with unique ingredients though. Some are sticky rice or sago soaked in coconut milk and with taro, red beans, pumpkin, jackfruit and sometimes some stores also add some other candied fruits . Some are made with a gelatin extracted from seaweed called agar agar. It is served in a bowl with cool ice. It is a pleasant treat in the sunny weather of Cambodia.

5. Khmer Red Curry

This one is actually less spicy than that of Thailand. It is made with the same ingredients as that in Thailand with coconut milk being the key ingredient. This curry is also part of the culture of Cambodia since it is served at important family occasions like a wedding, or religious occasions, etc. It is eaten with bread.

6. Nom banh chok — Khmer noodles

This is a breakfast dish of Cambodians served with rice. It’s made up of noodles, fish, green curry and with lemon grass, turmeric root, and kafir lime. Green vegies are added on top to give finishing touches to the dish.

These are just some of the must try food in Cambodia, spend a few more days and discover a plethora of gastronomic delights.

Have you tried any of these foods? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Amok by SodanieChea/