Cambodia, land of the Khmer, has never been a country targeted by mass tourism, but rather one of the possible destinations for alternative tourists "backpacking", also because of the proximity to a tourist destination par excellence like the Thailand.
However things are changing quickly: unlike a few years ago, wherever we find people able to understand and speak English and French, even outside the big cities we find indications and menus in Latin characters and the prices begin to rise hand in hand with the quality of 'offer.
The influence of the French colonial domination, the peasant extraction of most of the population, the great availability of fish and the confinement with nations from high-profile kitchens create a unique and unrepeatable mix of flavors.
Cambodian cuisine: typical dishes
Traveling throughout the Cambodian territory we will notice numerous small pigs everywhere, thus discovering the reason for the continuous presence of its meat in the kitchen. The parts that are consumed are different from the classic cuts of Western butchery and often the internal organs are used to accentuate the flavor of the dishes.
Everywhere we will find excellent soups, very nutritious and tasty, often vegetarian, enriched with peanuts, citronella, saffron, chilli and other typical spices.
Rice can never be lacking on Cambodian tables: boiled, in soups, fried, but also toasted with processed vegetables to become refined creams. Immediately after the rice we have the inevitable noodles, often different from Thai or Chinese noodles because of the typical Cambodian spices and herbs, such as galangar and kaffir peel .
The best tropical fruit is omnipresent and enriches the side dishes and garnishes the grilled meat and fish. Fermented fish sauces make local flavors typical, which often seem to be looking for a possible harmony between salty, sour, sweet ... all in one dish.
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Where to eat (on the street or in the restaurant)
Except for the big cities, so-called street food is often the only option for the traveler facing Cambodia, but this is not bad at all. Cambodia is an immense green countryside, fertile, humid and rich in meat and vegetables with which the locals eat in a tasty and simple way (but not always). The taverns, sometimes part of the owner's family-run house, can offer the typical dishes of the region and the season .
Often noodle curries contain seasonal green leafy vegetables with a velvety flavor and texture and we will soon realize that this unrepeatable dish is a family recipe that we will not be able to eat elsewhere!
Local markets are another opportunity to have a nice experience and to find excellent fruit to eat on the local buses or at breakfast, since here we begin to fry and roast already early in the morning and it is almost impossible to count on finding a Western breakfast. .
Not to be missed in Cambodia!
Alongside the simple dishes of peasant nature based on rice and noodle, there are famous dishes that are true carnivals of colors and flavors: you can ask for these dishes everywhere because they are loved and cooked all over the national territory. Here are some dishes definitely not to be missed: the Nhoim Makak is a succulent combination of shrimp, fish, garlic, chilli and the Makak fruit cut into julienne strips; changing genre, we can find great pleasure in eating a soup called Broheor, made of crunchy bamboo shoots, numerous spices, local mushrooms and smoked fish.
One of the dishes considered non plus ultra is Sgnu Chruk Bong Kan, made with lobster cooked with spices such as basil, lemongrass, keffir peel and mint.
What to avoid in Cambodia
If you are not a good stomach capable of eating everything, be careful to inform yourself well before choosing from the menu: it can happen to come across dishes with almost raw meats and fish, insects, smelly condiments and unidentifiable ingredients .
Rice and legume snacks are sometimes not really suited to Western tastes and it is therefore a good idea to try small doses before buying . Some recipes are full of fermented fish sauce, which in the long run can be tiring.
Tips and curiosities of Cambodian cuisine
If you travel from parts of the Mekong, benefit from enjoying freshwater fish, considered the basis of local cuisine along with rice.
At the beginning of the rainy season the town of festivals fills with good and cheap food, and here is a good time to give yourself to the mad joy. The so-called Nom Pang, the Cambodian bread, is nothing but a cousin of the baguette, left as a legacy by the French colonists.
