Delicious Cambodian Recipes: Traditional Dishes to Cook at Home
Looking for something new and exotic to add to your cooking? Look no further than the flavours of Cambodian cuisine. Sweet, salty, spicy, sharp: Cambodia offers a mix of tastes found nowhere else.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced cook after something different, these classic Cambodian dishes will deliver. Here are the recipes.
Nom Banh Chok, Cambodia's traditional rice noodle dish
Do you like Asian food? Then try one of Cambodia's signature dishes: Nom Banh Chok. Its origins are unclear. Its flavour is not. The rice noodles are seasoned with lemongrass, garlic and ginger, and served with vegetables and herbs such as bean sprouts and basil.
Soak the noodles in cold water for several hours. When you are ready to cook, drain them and set them aside. Fry the garlic and lemongrass in oil until they form a paste, then add a few slices of pepper for extra flavour.
Add the soaked noodles to the pan with fish sauce for saltiness, and stir everything together.
Finally, add bean sprouts and let it simmer until the noodles are tender. Serve in a bowl, topped with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice.
Samlor Machu Kroeung, a hearty Cambodian fish stew
Samlor Machu Kroeung, the Cambodian fish stew, is one of the best-loved classics. It is a filling dish with a flavour combination found only in Cambodia.
The main ingredients are fish, tamarind, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal.
Together they give the stew a complex taste, both salty and sweet. Chillies, garlic and shallots are usually added for depth.
Coconut milk goes in at the end to make it richer and smoother. With its layered flavours and thick texture, Samlor Machu Kroeung makes a good meal served with steamed rice or flatbread.
Share this version of the seafood stew with friends and family.
Amok Trey, Cambodia's signature fish curry
If you want a truly Cambodian dish, try Amok Trey. It is one of the most popular meals in the country, and it has been around for a very long time.
Amok Trey is usually made with catfish, but other freshwater fish work too. The fish is marinated in coconut milk and lemongrass paste, then cooked slowly until done. It is served in small banana leaf cups or coconut shells, which makes it fun to eat.
To make amok trey at home, you will need:
• Catfish or another firm-fleshed fish
• Coconut milk
• Lemongrass
• Kaffir lime leaves
• Turmeric
• Red curry paste
• Fish sauce
• Galangal (a relative of ginger)
• Garlic
• Shallots
Together they make a fragrant, full-flavoured curry.
Beef stir-fried with lime and pepper
You cannot go wrong with a classic like beef Lok Lak: beef stir-fried with lime and pepper. It is one of the most popular dishes in Cambodian cooking, and it is easy to see why. It is full of flavour.
The marinade is the key. Garlic, lime juice, fish sauce and pepper are mixed together and poured over the beef, which then rests for about an hour so the flavours can develop.
After that, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and stir-fry the beef until it is browned on all sides. Finish with chopped fresh herbs.
Everyone at the table will want seconds. Serve it with steamed white rice, a fried egg and a few seasonal vegetables for a full meal. Enjoy.
Khmer red chicken curry, spicy and aromatic
Khmer red curry is for people who like some heat and plenty of flavour. The ingredients are easy to find in any grocery store.
Ingredients
• Coconut milk
• Chicken (or any other protein)
• Onions
• Chillies
• Garlic
• Curry paste (store-bought or homemade)
• Aromatics such as ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and basil
Method
Marinate the chicken in a mix of garlic, onions, chillies and coconut milk. Leave it for at least 30 minutes.
In a pot or wok, heat oil over medium heat and fry the curry paste until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the marinated chicken with its marinade, the aromatics and one more cup of coconut milk.
Simmer gently, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until the curry thickens to the consistency you like.
Serve over hot jasmine rice.
The curry is creamy, spicy and full of flavour. It takes a little time to cook, but it is worth it.
Chek Chien: Cambodian fried bananas
Chek Chien is a Cambodian street food staple. Bananas are coated in a sweet and salty batter and fried until golden. The batter is usually made from white rice flour, sugar, salt and coconut milk, all of which most Cambodian kitchens have on hand.
The recipe is simple but tasty. Sugar and salt bring out the natural sweetness of the bananas, and the coconut milk adds a tropical note. The crisp fried coating is hard to resist.
If you want something a little more adventurous than ordinary fried bananas, Chek Chien is worth trying. You will need:
• Bananas
• White rice flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Coconut milk
• Vegetable oil for frying
To make Chek Chien
Peel the bananas and cut them into small pieces. In a large bowl, mix the rice flour, sugar, salt and coconut milk until smooth. Add the banana pieces and coat them completely. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat and fry each piece until golden on all sides. Serve hot or cold, as a starter or a side.
In short
Cambodian recipes are a good way to bring new flavours to your table. They adapt easily, so you can recreate the tastes of Cambodia in your own kitchen. If you want bold, tasty dishes to add to your repertoire, they are a good place to start.
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