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.
The Palate
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
Kroeung
Fermented Fish Paste
Roasted Rice Powder
Kampot Pepper
Prahok
Key Lime Juice
Kaffir Lime Zest
Toasted Rice PowderSee all 136 ingredients›
Herbs & Spices
Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
Sauces & Condiments
Other
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
Signature Dishes (21)
Mains
9
Breakfast
1
Other regions
Siblings within Cambodian — each its own tradition.