Cambodian Food

Cambodian food has earnt a reputation in the west as the poor relation of Southeast Asian cuisine and lacking in intense flavours, particularly with the spread of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. As chefs search for exotic influences and ideas however, Cambodian classics such as lok-lak and amok have gained a reputation as wonderfully subtle and aromatic dishes, and the fried spiders and other oddities become less important.

Cambodian Agriculture and Produce

Cambodia has an international reputation for Kampot pepper, which visitors can sample with the crabs and other seafood from Kep and other ports. The fertile plains and forests of Cambodia have meant that the country is a large producer of rice and other foodstuffs. The lack of development also means that many foodstuffs are organic, with most agriculture being small-scale and lacking the industrial techniques of the west - natural and sustainable development in farming and fishing is high on the agenda in Cambodia.

As with much of the developing world, food safety should not be ignored. Tap water is not safe to drink (bottled water is widely available), but we've found in restaurants catering to tourists all food preparation is undertaken using bottled or treated water, and hygiene is of a high standard. Street stalls exist in Cambodia also which often serve excellent food, but hygiene may not be as high on the agenda. Drinks other than water are widely available - from sugar cane juice and ice that you will see Khmers drinking out of bags with straws, to the ubiquitous Angkor Beer.

Back to "Your Style" page