Famous Food to Try in Siem Reap – A taste of Cambodia’s culinary world

This is a condiment rather than a dish, but it's served as a separate dish at some of the top restaurants in Siem Reap. To make Prahok, you need to start by drying fish in sunlight for a day. The second step is to mix dried fish with pepper, garlic, salt, and cold rice. The mixture is blended well before leaving it in a jar to ferment for months. When it's ready, the mixture becomes brown and imparts a distinct smell.

You can enjoy this classic Cambodian dish anywhere in Siem Reap, including places like FCC Angkor. Amok Fish is a basic yellow curry; the only difference is the addition of fish. Fish is the main ingredient, but an array of spices are added to give it its signature flavour. This combination of spices includes brown sugar, garlic, lemongrass, chilli paste, and salt. The creamy texture and the thickness come from the addition of coconut milk. The presentation of the dish is quite good as well; it's usually served in a coconut shell or a banana wrapping.

Cambodia has rich soil that grows various mango trees, so mango salads are almost an inevitability. This dish is loved by both locals and foreigners. A green mango salad is a healthy addition to any meal and includes sliced green mango, lime juice, minced garlic, red hot pepper, sugar, and fresh herbs. The sourness of the mango is regulated by the other ingredients, making it an excellent appetiser.

Rice doesn't stir excitement in anyone, but it is a staple in every Southeast Asian household and is absolutely delicious when paired up with other dishes. Bamboo sticky rice is a Cambodian classic that locals love and that foreigners come to love after the first bite. To make Bamboo Sticky Rice, rice is packed in a bamboo stick with coconut milk and peas and then cooked over hot coal. The secret to getting it right is to rotate it regularly to make sure every side of the bamboo stick gets sufficient heat to cook the rice. This is something you can eat by itself.

This is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in Cambodia and can be found at every restaurant and street market. The type of noodles used for the dish is rice noodles. Loads of veggies are used to make it a healthy breakfast dish, and the condiments used include fresh mint leaves, curry sauce, spring onions, and bean sprouts. For added flavour, sliced pork is used as well.

The locals love barbequed food, so you'll find it everywhere in Siem Reap. Almost everything is barbequed from chicken to pork to beef to duck to shrimp, and Cambodians like to grill insects too.

Another classic that you must try, Khmer Cake is a delicious dessert item. It's both savoury and sweet and can be eaten at any time of the day. Mung beans and taro are the main two components of the dish, and there's a topping of tropical fruits too.

If you want a break from all the spicy Cambodian food, you should try a bowl of jaggery sweet soup. It's sweet and made of cane juice and dates. The appetising colour of the soup varies from brown to dark brown. You'll also find cubes of potatoes and green beans floating in there.