Khmer Krom
Mekong-Delta borderland — banh xeo crepes, mam fermented-fish, Vietnamese-Khmer fusion.
Bai Cha
Fried rice, a comforting embrace of salted fish, egg, and scallions, with a hint of soy and fish sauce
View page →Khmer Krom cuisine is the food of the ethnic Khmer community in Vietnam's Mekong Delta (Trà Vinh, Sóc Trăng, An Giang, Bạc Liêu provinces) and the adjacent Cambodian Mekong borderlands. The Khmer Krom have inhabited the Mekong Delta for centuries — the area was part of the Khmer Empire until the 17th century when it was gradually absorbed into Vietnam. The cuisine reflects this borderland heritage: Khmer base techniques (kreoung paste, prahok-style fermented fish) merged with Vietnamese ingredients and influences (rice noodles, fish-mint herbs, banh xeo crepes).
Signature Khmer Krom preparations include banh xeo Khmer Krom (the Mekong-Delta turmeric crepe with shrimp, pork, and fish-mint), mam trey (fermented-fish stew with coconut milk and pork), and various sour samlor soups that bridge Cambodian and Vietnamese cooking. The cuisine is rarely found in Cambodia proper — most Khmer Krom live in Vietnam — but Khmer-Krom diaspora restaurants in California, Texas, and Toronto preserve the tradition. Modern Phnom Penh restaurants serving 'Khmer Krom cuisine' as a regional category are increasingly visible as the cultural identity gains recognition.
Start Here
Fish-mint (rau diếp cá) is the Khmer-Krom distinction from Vietnamese banh xeo — without it, the dish is just Vietnamese.
Why start here · Banh Xeo Khmer Krom is the Mekong-Delta crepe — the dish that defines the Khmer-Krom borderland kitchen.
Real mam ca loc (fermented snakehead) gives the dish its signature funk — substituting shrimp paste loses depth.
Why start here · Mam Trey is the Khmer-Krom fermentation signature — bridges Cambodian and Vietnamese fermented-fish traditions.
The Pantry
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Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
Sauces & Condiments
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
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Other regions
Siblings within Cambodian — each its own tradition.