The best street food in Cambodia

Cambodia has had a pretty rough history, and even today, the country is quite poor by western standards. However, despite its streak of bad luck, it is still one of the most amazing places on the planet. Cambodia is a very diverse country with a fascinating culture – it’s enough to take a look at its magnificent temples and beautiful beaches to see why it’s becoming one of the  most popular destinations in south-east Asia.

Best of all, there are many places in Cambodia that haven’t made it yet into the popular tourist brochures, which leaves you the pleasure of discovering them yourself. And on the topic of discoveries, here’s one of the treats that away you: the best street food in Cambodia.

Cambodian cuisine is somewhat similar to Thai cuisine, but it has its own specificities. Rice is used in large amounts in many dishes, especially aromatic types. Curries are a great favorite with locals, and noodles and fried foods are readily sold be street vendors – and it’s definitely one of the best ways to experience the country’s cuisine.

Nom Pang

Nom Pang is a legacy of French colonialism, but it’s simply delicious. Nom Pang is made with fresh French baguettes with a variety of fillings, which can range from curries to pates. A typical nom pang costs about $1, and it it stuffed with different kinds of pates, spring onion and mint, pickles with chili, butter, sardine sauce, and ground pork sauce. It’s a quick and very filling meal that you can find in all major tourist destinations.

Bahn Chiao

Bahn Chiao is probably one of the most popular dishes in Cambodia, and for good reason, because it’s incredibly delicious. It consists of fried meat with bean sprouts wrapped in a thin pancake-like batter, which is then deep fried. The resulting pocket of goodness is wrapped in mustard leaves and served with sweet and sour peanut sauce.

Bai Cha

Bai Cha is in many ways similar to fried rice, but it contains Chinese sausage and garlic, soy sauce, vegetables and spices. There’s quite a bit of soy sauce in this dish, which gives it its distinctive brown color.

Bai Cha is one of the most flexible recipes in Cambodian cuisine, and many ingredients can be skipped or substituted with something else – which means that you might get completely different bai cha depending on which stall you buy your food from.

Amok Trey

Amok Trey is a steamed and curried fish dish. The fish is coated in coconut milk and kroeung, a type of curry, and put into a small cup made of banana leaves. The bundle is then steamed and served hot – it is a delicious treat which can be found in street stall, but it is mainly served during the annual Water Festival.

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