8 must-try dishes in Cambodia

A hitlist of dishes that wowed on an Intrepid Real Food Adventure in Cambodia

Cambodia’s rich food culture shares some similarities with those of neighbouring Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – but it is also distinctive; I tried loads of dishes in just six days in Cambodia that were new to me and that I’ve never seen served in Cambodian restaurants outside of the country. The area our food exploration covered was in and around Siem Reap as well as into the northwest of the country in Battambang, close to the Thai border, and we were fortunate to have the most brilliant guide, Bong Fila, to introduce us to all these new tastes. There are doubtless dishes favoured in other parts of Cambodia that I’m yet to discover. I’ll guess I’ll just have to return one day soon. 

Tuk meric

You’re in the home of the world’s best pepper, the Kampot variety, so it makes sense that it appears on the table to accompany dishes in the form of this classic dip – finely ground Kampot pepper combined with fresh lime juice and a little salt. Simple, but tastes off the charts – dip morsels of grilled meat into it, or just drizzle it over everything for a uniquely Cambodian flavour punch. 

Pounding freshly ground and steamed rice to make noodles

Serving freshly made num banchock in Preah Dak village

Num banhchok

I can’t vouch for whether this dish is quite so memorable if you haven’t just witnessed the rice noodles that form the base of it being made, from scratch – from literal grains of locally grown rice – by hand. We visited a cottage business in the small village of Preah Dak just outside Siem Reap and watched the captivating nine-step process – the ninth step being us sitting down to eat a bowl of the freshly made, lightly fermented, and supremely silky white noodles topped with a wonderfully aromatic coconut and fish gravy, a sweet-salty peanut sauce, and then as many vibrant fresh herbs from the humongous display of them that we wished to add to our bowls. We all did an Oliver Twist. 

Num banchok

Fried crickets

How are they caught? How many crickets does it take to fill you up? Is this the ultimate protein-packed snack? So many questions but the answer is just ‘yummy’. Bugs fried till crisp (this is why I’m recommending crickets over fried grubs… because those are crisp for a moment on the teeth and then very not crisp, but you may be okay with that?) and tossed with lime leaf and chilli. Find them at local markets everywhere. 

Infused rice wine

You can knock back a rice wine anywhere in Cambodia, but if you’re in Siem Reap make sure you do it at Sombai, where proprietor Bong Aukim infuses rice wine (which she makes from brown rice) with inventive combinations of natural ingredients – think banana and cinnamon, anise and coffee, mango and green chilli. Bong Kim also makes alcoholic jams, for when you need that extra bit of pep at breakfast time. Our itinerary included a cocktail making class which kicked off with sampling all 10 liqueurs and three jams before we moved out into the courtyard to mix and sip cocktails under Bong Kim’s hilariously dry-humoured tutelage. Belly laughs and delicious sips guaranteed.

Fish amok

Cambodian cuisine leans fragrant and this dish is the perfect example of that. The scent of lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf and turmeric meld with the sweet aroma of coconut cream, so that the impact of this stunning dish hits long before you’ve even lifted a bite to your lips. 

Banana blossom salad

The banana blossom arguably doesn’t have much flavour of its own, but its crisp crunch and the way it carries a punchy lime-based dressing makes this salad a welcome addition alongside richer curries and stir-fries. We enjoyed it on a much anticipated stop on our itinerary – lunch at the home of locals Sam and Sopheap, just out of Battambang. 

Num pang

Bong Fila bought us all a round of these babies to kick off a street food tour one evening along the riverfront in Siem Riep. Somewhat similar to Vietnam’s banh mi, Khmer num pang sees a feather-light baguette with a crisp outer stuffed with assorted yummy things that might include pork belly, pate, pickled daikon, coriander and mayo. A hearty num pang will set you back around $1.20. 

Pig on a spit Cambodian style

Village barbecue pork meal

Barbecued pork in the village

Also in the village of Preah Dak, we came across a roadside canteen advertising its menu in the most tempting way – a charcoal pit smoldering away out the front of the basic dining hut, with a couple of whole hogs being given the slow-rotation-cook treatment above. Outside the city, with no menus or English spoken, this was another ‘local for local’ eating experience we were all happy to have our guide Fila on hand to sort for us. As the heat of the day began to soar, our group feasted on platters of barbecued pork – juicy flesh and crackling dreams are made of – as well as the intestine of the pig stuffed with minced offal and aromatics. A crisp green papaya salad served alongside (a common feature on the Khmer table, especially with barbecued meats) cut through the richness, as did a dipping sauce made with fermented fish paste, garlic, and tart red ants. 

Sach ko ang, best washed down with Angkor lager

Also don’t miss…

Angkor beer – Best friend of the sweaty traveller, the crisp refreshing lager is the perfect accompaniment to any plate of food.Sach ko ang – Lemongrass beef skewers grilled over charcoal. Superb.

Kuy teav – Make this rice noodle soup a go-to for brekkie – clear, umami broth with a hint of sweetness and soft rice noodles are bolstered by various toppings. 

Ba ja’neuk – A lovely light dessert to finish off a meal: sticky rice dumplings in a coconut sauce topped with black sesame. 

Num plae ai –  sticky rice dumplings filled with palm sugar – mochi fans will love these!

WORDS AND IMAGES Anna King Shahab

This article was originally published in Stuff Travel