Cambodia has a variety of unique and tasty culinary highlights to offer, and you can find out how Cambodian street food is cooked here. It is mildly seasoned, less spicy (though still full of flavor), and packed with fresh herbs and spices.
Here are the 11 best street foods in Cambodia that you’ll find on the streets:
Fish Amok
This creamy curry is probably Cambodia’s special dish. Fresh fish fillets are cooked in coconut milk, egg, fish sauce, and palm sugar and refined with lemongrass, kafir leaves, and fresh herbs. Traditionally, the curry is cooked and served in portions in bowl-shaped banana leaves.
Khmer Curry
Unlike Indian or Thai curries, Khmer curry is a lot sweeter and milder. The authentic version is made with chicken, coconut milk, fish sauce, sweet potatoes, ginger, and lots of fresh herbs and spices. The aromatic curry is served with rice or bread.
Nom Banh Chok (Khmer Noodle)
Another favorite Cambodian dish is Nom Banh Chok. This dish consists of rice noodles with chopped banana leaves, bean sprouts, sweet basil, and mint. It is served with green fish curry.
Grilled Skewers
Cambodians take their barbecues very seriously, and with a wide variety of alternatives such as crocodile, ostrich, chicken, frog legs, snails, pork, prawns, quail, beef, and seafood to choose from, your taste buds will be in heaven! Along the Cambodian streets, you may easily find sellers ready to offer you skewers with such delights.
Fried Bugs
They eat fried bugs in Cambodia. It’s not simply a tourist attraction; it’s a real thing. And if you try them, you might discover that some of them are actually quite delightful. There are many different bugs and creatures to choose from, including crickets, grasshoppers, tarantulas, water bugs, and more. Of course, it’s a question of personal preference, but fried grasshoppers are highly recommended.
Banh Chev
Banh Chev is a Cambodian rice flour crepe filled with chopped prawns, pork, onion, bean sprouts, and green onions, and is one of the top street food selections in Cambodia. It comes with fresh mint, cucumber vinegar sauce, and ground peanuts. These crepes are known for their distinct flavor and are served with spicy fish sauce.
Kuy Teav
The authentic start to the day in Cambodia begins with Kuy Teav. The traditional breakfast consists of pork or beef broth, glass noodles, fried garlic and shallots, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs. Add small fish balls or beef. Although this dish is popular for breakfast, it is also sold for lunch and dinner.
Nom Kachay
The small leek cakes that are baked in pans can be found especially at street markets. The mass consists of rice flour and is served with sweet and sour fish sauce.
Chek Chien (Deep Fried Banana)
The Chek Chien is ideal as a snack for the onward journey. These are fried bananas with black sesame seeds that you can find at any market in the country.
Nom Pao (Dumbling)
At any street market, you will come across little carts with steamed pouches filled with pork and eggs. These are perfect afternoon snacks and are best eaten hot.
Bai Sach Chrouk
If you walk around Cambodia town early in the morning, you will notice many plastic tables along the streets where locals are sitting, most likely having the same dish for breakfast. This is probably the most common breakfast in the country, Bai Sach Chrouk. The national breakfast consists of slow-broiled pork marinated in garlic and oil, served with pickled vegetables, fresh cucumbers, and rice.
