Cambodian food, also known as Khmer food, refers to the food majorly made in Cambodia. The staple food of Cambodia happens to be rice. Cambodian Food other than rice includes noodles, dessert, drinks, tropical fruits and different kinds of soups.
Cultural Influences on Cambodian food
Cambodian food is the result of mixed cultures and races with influences of Hinduism as it is believed to have prevailed in the country once upon a time. The Cambodians, call themselves as Khmer meaning “hill” and also refer to their country as Srok Khmer or Kampuchea. Cambodian cuisine is highly influenced by the food culture of the adjoining countries-Thailand and Vietnam. The cuisine has common dishes with Vietnam as both of them were under French control in Southeast Asia. Culinary influences of France and China appears in Cambodian cuisine as both of them were very involved in the history of Cambodia. Curry which is a traditional dish of India is known as kari in Cambodia.
Ingredients Used in Cambodian Cuisine
Cambodian food makes use of rich and diverse ingredients including fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs and spices in the food preparations. The major ingredients used in Cambodian food are:
- Prahok - refers to a kind of fermented fish paste with a pungent feel added while making certain dishes
- Spices- including Turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Black pepper Chili pepper tamarind
- Kroeung - refers to a unique spice blend made using fresh spices including garlic, shallots, turmeric, lemongrass and galangal root
- Vegetables - include bitter melon, winter melon, yardlong beans, luffa Mushrooms, baby corn, bamboo shoots, cabbage, fresh ginger, snow peas, Chinese broccoli, Banana blossoms and bok choy
- Fruits -durian, mangosteen, sapodilla, milk fruit, phlai teuk doh ko, kuy fruit, jan fruit, pineapple, romduol, rose apple, star apple, palmyra fruit, coconut, papaya, jackfruit, banana, watermelon, rambutans and mango.
- Meats - Fish, pork, beef, chicken, cockles, clams, shrimp, crayfish, duck and squid, lobsters, uncommon meats include- turtle, frog and different arthropods such as tarantulas.
- Noodles - form a chief part of the Cambodian food. Rice stick noodle is the popular variety of noodles used in preparing many dishes.
Cambodian Dishes Popular in Foreign Culture
- Amok trey - a Fish steamed after being coated with coconut milk and kroeung wrapped in banana leaves.
- Ansom chek - a rice cake in cylindrical shape filled with bananas and packed in banana leaves. Babar is a variety of congee or rice porridge made plain or normally with pork or chicken and served with green onions and fresh bean sprouts.
- Bai cha - a variation of fried rice in Cambodian cuisine consisting of Chinese sausages, garlic, herbs and soy sauce, had with pork.
- Banh chiao - a variation of the Vietnamese food bánh xèo in Cambodian food.
