Khmer Canon
The mainstream Khmer table — fish amok, prahok-and-kreoung, palm-sugar caramel braising.
Amok Trey
A traditional Cambodian fish curry steamed in banana leaves
View page →Khmer Canon cuisine is what most people mean by 'Cambodian food' — the mainstream Khmer table developed across Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Battambang. The cuisine is built on three foundations: kreoung (the lemongrass-galangal-turmeric-kaffir-lime-garlic-shallot pounded paste that's Cambodia's foundational aromatic base), prahok (the salt-fermented freshwater fish paste that's Cambodia's universal umami source, distinct from Thai pla ra and Vietnamese mam ca), and palm sugar (from sugar-palm trees, used in caramel braises and sweet desserts).
Signature Khmer-canon dishes are recognizable globally: amok trey (steamed fish curry in banana leaves with kreoung and coconut), bai sach chrouk (grilled pork over broken rice — the everyday breakfast), lok lak (Cambodian-French black-pepper beef with lime-pepper dipping sauce), num banh chok (the iconic rice-noodle-with-fish-curry-and-vegetables Cambodian breakfast). The cuisine sits at a unique Southeast-Asian crossroads — French colonial influence brought baguettes (now Cambodia's universal num pang sandwich) and beef preparations; Thai-Lao-Vietnamese neighbors shaped the herb-and-fish-sauce profile; and indigenous Khmer ingredients (palm sugar, prahok, kreoung) anchor the dishes as distinctly Cambodian.
Start Here
Real amok is steamed in banana leaves to create the dish's signature soft-set custard texture — pan-frying gives a different result.
Why start here · Amok Trey is Cambodia's national dish — what every visitor eats first in Phnom Penh.
Use Kampot black pepper if available — Cambodia's signature spice is what makes this dish distinct from a generic stir-fry.
Why start here · Lok Lak is the Cambodian-French signature — colonial fusion that's become a national dish.
Use coconut water (not coconut milk) for the braise — that's the Cambodian distinction from Vietnamese thit kho.
Why start here · Khor Sach Chrouk is the Cambodian everyday-stew — what families cook on weekdays.
The Pantry
See all 115 ingredients›
Herbs & Spices
Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
Kindred Kitchens
Cuisines built on the same signature ingredients
Other regions
Siblings within Cambodian — each its own tradition.
