We really liked the food in Cambodia a lot! Probably because much of it gets its roots from Thailand (and we loved the Thai food!). They use a lot of fresh water fish, lemongrass, and turmeric in their dishes.
Rural villagers still eat a lot of the same gross stuff as the people of Vietnam (cats, dogs, rats, eels…), but here we didn’t have to look at it grilling on the side of the road or sitting in the markets covered in flies!
There were so many good (and really cute!) restaurants. Many were a bit touristy and therefore more expensive (about $60.00 for a REALLY nice dinner for 2 with a bottle of wine), but we found quite a few that were more local/authentic, that were still super cute and so delicious. One restaurant we visited was owned by a woman who lost her whole family except her mother in the genocide. She got herself educated and learned the restaurant business and is an advocate for women’s rights in Cambodia. The restaurant is run entirely by women. We had 2 appetizers, 2 entries, a dessert, and a bottle of wine for $30.00!! And it was SO DELICIOUS! We would have gone back if we had more time in Siem Reap. But there were SO MANY outstanding restaurants that we didn’t want to do any repeats!
Palm cake - a traditional dessert made from ripe toddy palm fruit, rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar. steamed in banana leaf cups. They are a soft, fluffy little cake, sometimes topped with grated coconut. We LOVED these things!
Spicy and sour tiny crabs - a popular snack featuring small, edible crabs marinated in a savory, tangy, and spicy sauce. We did not eat these! We saw them in the market.
Fish Paste (Prahok) - made from crushed, salted, freshwater fish that are dried in the sun and fermented in jars for several months. Not sure what other ingredients are in it, but we do know that there are red ants in it! It serves as a foundational ingredient in soups, salads, and dipping sauces in Khmer cuisine. If we had any, it definitely wasn't intentional!
Fish amok - a celebrated Cambodian national dish consisting of freshwater fish covered in a thick, coconut-based curry with lemongrass. It is traditionally steamed in banana leaf cups. I could have eaten this every day!!!
Char Kroeung - a popular Cambodian stir-fry dish characterized by its bold spicy flavor. It has chicken stir-fried with kroeung, a traditional Khmer lemongrass-based herb paste, turmeric, herbs, green beans peppers, and Thai basil. Grady said it was delicious!
Pineapple fried rice - fried rice with pineapple chunks and some type of meat (chicken in this case) served in a hollowed out pineapple.
Tom Yam Soup - Traditional dish made with shrimp, beef, or chicken with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and lemongrass. It is characterized by its bold hot and sour flavors. Grady loved it.
Khanom Fak Bua - a traditional deep-fried sweet made from rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and pandan juice, resulting in a crispy edge and soft center. They are a street food snack. We had them in a rural village on Kulen mountain. These suckers were good! They reminded me of a funnel cake at the state fair minus the powdered sugar.
Num chek chien - a popular street food snack made by dipping flattened bananas into a crispy batter of rice flour, coconut milk, and sesame seeds, then deep-frying them. So yummy and so fattening!
Kang Kep Baok - Grilled stuffed frog. Eeeewwww!! We didn't eat this!
Sach Ko Ngeat - It is a popular Cambodia street food. Beef marinated with garlic, sugar, fish sauce, and lime or chili then dried in the sun. It is basically beef jerky - My mom used to make it just like this when I was a kid! She dried it on the roof of a porch that stuck out from our house!
Traditional Cambodian sausage (Kwa Ko) - a savory, slightly sour beef or pork sausage, distinct for its use of Khmer spices like lemongrass, garlic, shallots, and lime leaves. These sun-dried or cured sausages are commonly grilled or pan-fried, offering a hearty, fragrant flavor. Yet another dish Grady loved.
Nom Plae Ai - a popular traditional Cambodian dessert consisting of small, chewy, boiled glutinous rice balls filled with molten palm sugar and coated in grated coconut. We had these in a little village at a road side stand, and Grady made them a second time in our cooking class he liked them so much!
Flambe - made with bananas, passion fruit, rum and coconut milk. I made it in our cooking class and even got to set it on fire. Fun and delicious!
Kari Sach Moan - a popular traditional Cambodian chicken curry dish made with vegetables and a coconut milk-based sauce seasoned with turmeric, lemongrass, and kroeung paste. It is a quintessential, soul-warming staple in Khmer cuisine. Grady made it in our cooking class and loved it.
Green mango salad - made with shredded, unripened (green) mangoes, some other vegetables and herbs and shrimp. Then tossed with a dressing made from fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and chilies, then garnished with peanuts. This was another dish I could have eaten every day!