Siem Reap for the experimental eater

Having arrived in Siem Reap on a stormy evening and checked into our pool suite at Amansara, we head straight to their elegant, dimly lit dining room. Soon, the server brings us a menu featuring Western and Cambodian specialities. Of course, we take the local route and order the multi-course Khmer-style family dinner consisting of Chicken Sour Soup with morning glory and hot basil, Raw Marinated Fish Salad with roasted peanuts, Stir-fried Squid with green Kampot peppercorn, Beef Cheek Saraman Curry with Khmer curry paste and coconut cream, Stir-Fried Kalian with oyster sauce, and Fermented Black Sticky Rice with vanilla ice-cream to finish on a sweet note. Our official introduction to authentic Cambodian cuisine, the beautifully balanced meal is simple yet flavoursome and soul-soothing; an instant cure for our travel fatigue.

The essence of an overlooked Southeast Asian cuisine

The cultural capital of Cambodia, Siem Reap is better known for its UNESCO-listed temple complexes revealing rich Khmer architectural details, enigmatic ruins enveloped by the dense jungle and other reminders of grand ancient civilisations. What comes as a delightful surprise is its lip-smacking fare characterised by fragrant herbs, zesty broths, native plants and veggies like Cambodian green giant eggplant, water mimosa, banana leaves and trokuon (river spinach) and whacky ingredients like red ants, turtle, water snakes, frogs and other moving creatures most of us won’t dare to touch, let alone taste. This means Siem Reap promises a real gastronomic adventure; one that amazes even the most well-travelled and daring palates.

Nightlife and night markets of Pub Street and its surrounds

Traditional and new-age Khmer cuisine can be enjoyed all over Siem Reap, in various settings — from no-frills roadside stands and humble family eateries frequented by locals to luxury dining establishments that bring to the table creatively plated, polished versions of centuries-old family recipes.

The vibrantly-lit Pub Street and connecting alleys are a buzzing nightlife venue with eateries that offer both international cuisines and Cambodian staples like Fish Amok, Beef Lok Lak, Kampot Pepper Crab, Num Banh Chok, Khmer curries and more. Street carts and hawkers are ubiquitous and ply everything from grilled skewers and seasonal fruit juices and smoothies to pancakes, crepes and fried ice cream with your choice of toppings. Grab a table at one of the bars with al fresco seating and take in the festival-like atmosphere while sipping your brew.

A walking distance from Pub Street, the Night Market is packed with locals sitting on plastic chairs and tables scattered around pop-up food stalls dishing out Khmer soups, spring rolls, noodles and more. For the bold and brave-hearted, there are grilled insects such as crickets, worms, tarantulas (spiders) with crunchy heads, cockroaches, giant water bugs, snails and even scorpions. Another eccentric Cambodian snack is Pong Tia Khon (fertilised duck egg) or Balut. I am told that most of these freaky living things became part of the Cambodian diet courtesy of the famine brought about by the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979. Insects were plentiful and Cambodians started frying and eating them for survival.

A bite here and a sip there

Aiming to dive deeper into the country’s rich history, diverse influences, customs and traditions, we set out on a morning tour with Jared and Fara from Siem Reap Food Tours (founded by Cambodian expats Steven Halcrow who used to work as a chef in a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Scotland and Lina Goldberg, a food and travel writer from California). The idea is to savour the city’s culinary gems from the comfort of a sassy remork (a trailer attached to a motorbike).

Our first stop is Wat Polanka area’s small food joint with a limited menu; its star being Bai Saight Chrou or Pork and Rice. This Cambodian breakfast staple mainly consists of thin pork strips (marinated overnight and grilled) served on a bed of rice alongside pickled carrot and cucumber, sweet-tangy dipping sauce and a bowl of piping hot pork broth. Locals prefer enjoying the dish outside as it is cheap and easy to grab on the way to work. 

We pair it with Khor Ko or Caramelised Beef Stew — a savoury-sweet stew known for its complex flavours. Khmer kitchens have an endless variety of stews. Each family has its signature version. A serving of slow-cooked Khor Ko often comes with a sliced, crunchy baguette, a remnant of French colonialism.

Next, we hop into our tuk-tuk to arrive at Phsar Leu, Siem Reap’s largest, oldest and most traditional market. The bustling bazaar is a treasure trove of Khmer ingredients — from the freshest seafood, meat and vegetables to foraged herbs, spices, Cambodia-grown rice and more. We see heaps of red tree ants and buckets filled with Prahok or Cambodian Cheese — a pungent-smelling, salty, fermented fish paste made from local mud carp and used in Khmer cuisine for generations. Jared spots a fruit vendor and picks up local delights like mangosteen, passion fruit, and longkon for us to enjoy later.

As we enter the indoor area dedicated to cooked food stalls, Jared enthusiastically introduces us to his buddies — ladies who dish out the most delicious Kuy Teav (beef noodle soup) and Lort Cha (stir-fried pin noodles).

Alongside a glass of strong iced coffee, we tuck into Kuy Teav — perhaps a distant cousin of Vietnamese Pho — which is believed to have been invented by Chinese traders in Cambodia. Think a comforting and aromatic stock ladled over meat, fine rice vermicelli noodles, fried garlic, crunchy leaves and herbs, green onions, sliced chillies, beansprouts and more.

On the other hand, Lort Cha is a popular market meal and a hassle-free Cambodian classic wherein fat noodles made from rice flour are stir-fried with meat, veggies like beansprouts, scallions, chives and Gai Lanor Chinese Kale in palm sugar, fish sauce and dark soy sauce. A harmonious blend of sweet, salty and spicy, Lort Cha is served hot and slightly charred, straight out of the wok.

On our way out through the market’s open-air section, we spot a woman pouring buttery yellow batter in metal moulds over a clay charcoal grill. “She is preparing Nom Barang or duck egg cakes,” explains Jared, who has lived in Cambodia for over a decade. “Since Barang is a term Cambodians use to refer to French people and culture, it is assumed that these cakes gained popularity during the French protectorate,” adds Jared. We feast on the light, fluffy cakes in the remork, while riding through the Angkor Archaeological Park.

Soon,the lush woodlands and paddy fields give way to the gastronomic village of Preah Dak, renowned for its steamed palm fruit cakes made from organic sugar palm, the national tree of Cambodia. At one of the popular shacks, we witness women making cakes from scratch — the yellow-coloured fruit meat is grated and added to rice flour before pouring the final mixture into cute banana-leaf baskets with a spoonful of coconut custard, for steaming over a wood fire. Fara suggests we top the warm, perfectly-sweetened, gooey cakes with shredded coconut for added taste and texture. Another must-try is Nom Plae Ai — a sticky, slightly chewy rice ball with a jaggery candy at its core.

Preah Dak’s Roasted Pork is a local favourite too. Chunks of melt-in-mouth pork are served with lemon wedges,a funky dip made of prahok and red ants and a salad that highlights seasonal Cambodian herbs and greens like banana stem and fish cheek herb (a perennial plant with a strong fish smell and taste).

A short drive from the pork joint, Aunty Sua’s abode is a window into the simplistic Cambodian way of life. They are a family of artisanal Num Banhchok (rice noodles) makers and we are here to watch and partake in the laborious noodle-making process. Once the rice flour is pounded and kneaded into the dough using water, it is pressed into delicate noodles using an old-fashioned wooden mill and dropped straight into a vessel of boiling water. The next steps involve rinsing vermicelli in cold water, gently folding them into little bundles and delivering them to nearby markets and restaurants. Aunty Sua brings us a banana leaf with freshly made noodles to relish with a homemade paste of sugar, salt and green chillies. They’re finger-licking good!

Num Banhchok also refers to the delectable noodle dish comprising rice noodles immersed in mildly spiced, coconut-based fish or chicken curry topped with veggies, and garnished with wild herbs and edible flowers. Our lunch is a satisfying bowl of Somlor Khmer — yellow-green lemongrass and kaffir lime flavoured version of Num Banhchok with fish, cabbage, water lily, long green beans and more; all washed down with juicy passion fruit.

Family-style Khmer meals at Amansara

If you’re craving a lavish Cambodian meal experience, head to Amansara for a family-style Khmer dinner. Among other extraordinary experiences curated by the hotel is breakfast, cooking class or candle-light dinner at a traditional Khmer Village House set in a garden within the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site. Pre-booking is required.

Apsara Courtyard dinner at Anantara Angkor

Celebrating a special occasion during your time in Siem Reap? Anantara Angkor’s frangipani-flanked courtyard is a magical venue for indulging in a royal Khmermulti-course meal paired with wine while viewing a private Apsaraperformance which evokes Cambodia’s storied history and culture through graceful dance movements.  

 — Story by Shikha Shah