Something For Your Tummy

by Miriam Gubovicova


Breakfast

Before the sun has risen, Cambodians would have had their first meal of the day. Due to French influence, Cambodians indulge in tasty crispy baguettes with varying fillings such as pickled vegetables and minced pork, delimiting themselves from rice.

Those who prefer to eat rice have a choice of eating it with pork, chicken or beef. It is usually fried with onions, capsicums, lemongrass, chili and a special salted fish paste – prahok which gives the food a very distinctive taste.

For those with a sweet tooth, they should look for a man with portable bicycle stall selling crispy waffles, another typical western breakfast. Whatever your choice is, breakfast on average costs less than USD 1.50 in the morning.

Snacks

When your tummy is craving for something to munch during the midday, then it is time for a snack. Aside from local fruits sold at the market, locals prefer to munch on a crunchy delicacy: fried grasshoppers. Although usually eaten whole, they (the sales person) will gladly show you how to rip off their wings and legs before you eat them.

Crispy grasshoppers

Although rich in protein, the health conscious might want to avoid this local delicacy due to its high cholesterol.

Grilled bananas on a stick is an alternative. Four pieces of this sweet treat will cost you around USD 0.25. Sngo trayong chek is another way of preparing a banana and potato snack. Bananas and potatoes are cut out to be poured with caramelized brown chocolate and coconut shavings to finish.

Coconut is widely used in almost every type of meal. Num domlong ang is a mixture of sweet potato, sugar and coconut grilled on the street right in front of you.

Another interesting snack is called lias hal which are tiny cockles served spicy or salted. This snack will cost you at most USD 0.50.

Lunch

With rice as a staple Asian diet, the wet market offers different types of rice including healthy red and black rice. Char son dec kur is one of the favourite and most popular dishes among the local community.

While fish, chicken and beef are available, pork is the most demanded meat because it is cheaper than other meats. It is interesting how they a taste of freshness with every dish by serving a slice of lime to squeeze over the dish.

Cambodia's lunch spread

On the beverage side, fruit shakes such as the banana and durian are popularly drunk to combat the heat.

All these delicious meals can be found in the street market stalls for around USD 2.00 depending on the type and amount of dishes you order.

Dinner

As the sun sets, more people come out to the streets. The air cools down and local restaurants offer outdoor dining with countless varieties of food.

Those less adventurous can choose to have a tasty burger or fresh salad oddly served with a plate of white rice. Amok, Khmer and Kari are delicious ways of preparing different kinds of meat. Wrapped in banana leaf and served with rice, all three are mouthwatering traditional Khmer dishes. Coconut milk, palm sugar, tumeric, galangal, ginger and chili are heavily used in local cuisine giving meals the rich and creamy taste.

Amok, Cambodia's specialty

The local deserts are rather simple using no other than locals' favourite coconut milk. Dessert lovers cannot resist a local bread made exactly the same way as a Malaysian roti chanai, adding sugar, bananas and condensed milk.

While dinner might cost USD 5.00, the desserts and drinks can each take up another USD 3.00 on average.

Supper

Cambodia offers a local 'mamak' stalls until the wee hours of the early morning. The choices are endless. From fried rice, barbeque chicken to noodles, everyone will find something to kill the hunger. It is once again interesting how other cultures influence the variety of food. It is not difficult to find Chinese kweytiow or Vietnamese banh chiao noodles whether fried or in soup. And the best part is, it will not cost you more than USD 1.50.

Bon Appetit!