Khmer Cambodia Foods

Rice and fish are the basic foods enjoyed by Cambodians. Delicious noodle soups are available at cafes. Fresh seafood is plentiful at Sihanoukville. In major cities a wide range of culinary fare is on offer including Chinese, Thai, French, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern. Restaurants and other businesses abound in Phnom Penh. Food stalls are also common in Phnom Penh and can usually be found in and around the Central Market.

Khmer food is one of the major national identities that reflect the ways of life, thought, and mind of the Cambodian people which are hidden in the taste of consumption of meat dishes and sweet food. Cambodia has been rich in a variety of plants and crops since ancient times so that we could cook many types of foods suitable for each group of different people.

Food is one of our most basic needs. We cannot live without it. Food gives us the energy for everything we do – walking, talking, working, playing, reading, and even thinking and breathing. Food also provides the energy for our nerves, muscles, heart, and glands that need to work. In addition, food supplies the nourishing substances to our bodies requiring to build and repair tissues and to regulate body organs and systems. 

All living things must have food to live. Green plants use the energy of sunlight to make food out of carbon dioxide (a gas in the air) and water and other substances from the soil. Other living things depend on the food made by green plants. The food that people and other animals eat comes chiefly from plants or from animals that eat plants.

Food does more than help keep us alive, strong, and healthy. It also adds pleasure to living. We enjoy the flavors, odors, colors, and textures of foods. We celebrate special occasions with favorite meals and feasts.

Favorite vegetables include beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, and sweet corn. Vegetables are commonly eaten during the main part of a meal. They may be served raw in a salad, cooked and served with a sauce, or added to a soup.