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.

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Cambodian dish

Cambodian Cooking Courses

For those who are inspired to try and recreate their favorite Cambodian dishes at home, we can arrange

cooking courses and master classes at restaurants and houses at several sites. Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh all have good classes which often include visits to local markets to learn about the fresh Cambodian produce.

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ABOUTAsia

Cambodia travel information and Angkor Wat tour specialists ABOUTAsia are based in Siem Reap just 4km from Angkor Wat. At the heart of the organisation is a guiding research centre providing Cambodia vacation advice and industry leading tours planning.

Peerless service standards and local positioning have made us the tour operator of choice by international luxury travel groups and discerning independent travellers to Angkor Wat, Cambodia and Southeast Asia.